This Week in Agri-Food — Washington (#16, 2026)
USDA sets new AMS fees for grading services; federal data collection for chemicals and crop input surveys advances; precision agriculture workforce bill introduced; Indiana bans adversary land ownership; Long Island aquaculture receives state funding.
April 26, 2026 to May 02, 2026
This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news for farmers, seed-growers, ranchers and their upstream suppliers and downstream buyers. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.
Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Agri-Food? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Freight & Ports and Oil & Gas. Also consider subscribing to our Agri-Food - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 🗺️ State Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week
Federal Government News
AMS Announces 2026/2027 Service Rates for Agricultural Commodities
The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released the 2026/2027 rates for voluntary grading, inspection, certification, auditing, and laboratory services. Rate changes affect meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy, rice, cotton, and tobacco, calculated with cost-of-living adjustments and operational reserves. Fees for public warehouse operators under the United States Warehouse Act remain unchanged. The new fee schedules for each commodity and service take effect starting May 1, 2026, or later, depending on product.
Sources: www.federalregister.gov
USDA Requests Revision and Extension for Pale Cyst Nematode Information Collection
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced intention to revise and extend approval for information collection regarding interstate movement and survey of regulated potato articles to prevent spread of pale cyst nematode. Public comments are due by June 29, 2026. APHIS amended forms and lowered reporting burden to 139 hours annually. The collection targets U.S. potato producers, packers, processors, and handlers.
Sources: www.federalregister.gov
USDA Guaranteed Farm Loan Program Data Collection Update
The Farm Service Agency issued notice requesting comment on revised information collection for the Guaranteed Farm Loan Program. Annual responses decreased to 97,897, with a total reporting burden of 125,311 hours, reflecting a 31% reduction in guaranteed loans since FY2022. This program facilitates credit for applicants unable to access traditional loans and ensures monitoring for compliance with statutory requirements.
Sources: www.federalregister.gov
USDA Calls for Public Comment on Agricultural Resource Management and Chemical Use Surveys
The National Agricultural Statistics Service submitted a request for approval of continued collection of Agricultural Resource Management Phases 1 & 2 and Chemical Use Surveys. These surveys provide annual farm-level data on input use, crop production practices, and chemical utilization. The targeted respondent base includes 116,583 farms and businesses, with a combined burden of 51,364 hours annually. Comments are accepted until June 1, 2026.
Sources: www.federalregister.gov
White House Launches Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions
The Council on Environmental Quality, collaborating with NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, opened the Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions. The initiative seeks proposals from technology companies and research groups for modernizing federal permitting processes, business automation, and timeline predictability. Submissions close by June 2, 2026, and up to 50 selected solutions will be showcased at an expo in Washington, D.C., this July.
Sources: www.whitehouse.gov
Legislative Updates
Precision Agriculture Workforce Development Bill Introduced
Bill 8507 was introduced to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, making workforce development for precision agriculture a high-priority research and extension initiative. The bill is currently referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Sources: www.congress.gov
Farmland for Farmers Act of 2026
Bill 8531, the Farmland for Farmers Act of 2026, was introduced with provisions for agricultural and food policy. The legislation has been sent to the House Committee on Agriculture for further action.
Sources: www.congress.gov
Bill to Expand Farmer-Led Technical Assistance
Bill 8533 aims to amend the Food Security Act of 1985, broadening the scope for farmer-led technical assistance. The measure has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Sources: www.congress.gov
FRESH Act of 2026 Addressing Food Reform
Bill 8578, 'Food Reform for Effective and Sustainable Health (FRESH) Act of 2026,' was introduced to the House and referred to the Committee on Agriculture for evaluation.
Sources: www.congress.gov
Veterinary Services Grant Program Improvement Bill
Bill 8505 intends to amend the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, aiming to improve the veterinary services grant program. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Sources: www.congress.gov
State Government News
Indiana Enacts Prohibition on Foreign Adversary Land Ownership
Indiana signed SEA 256 into law, preventing adversarial nations such as Iran, China, and Russia from purchasing any land in the state. The law requires foreign agents to register with the Attorney General and restricts access to critical programs and contracts.
Sources: www.indianasenaterepublicans.com
Indiana Legislation Strengthens State Sovereignty Against Foreign Influence
Senate Majority Leader Chris Garten authored SEA 256, mandating registration and full disclosure for foreign agents, banning companies from hostile nations from owning land, and imposing transparency requirements effective immediately.
Sources: www.indianasenaterepublicans.com
Indiana Law Targets Foreign Ownership and Agent Disclosure
SEA 256, authored by State Sen. Eric Koch, bans land purchases by hostile countries, requires rigorous disclosure from foreign agents, and blocks public funding for affiliates of adversarial nations.
Sources: www.indianasenaterepublicans.com
Long Island Aquaculture Infrastructure Grant Program Awards $3 Million
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced $3 million in funding to 14 Long Island aquaculture businesses, supporting infrastructure upgrades and production expansion. The Blue Food Transformation Initiative backs the program, which follows a prior emergency USDA disaster designation request for Suffolk County.
Sources: www.governor.ny.gov
New Mexico Launches Water Action Plan Dashboard
New Mexico released a dashboard for tracking the 50-Year Water Action Plan, targeting conservation, development of new water sources, and water quality protection. The platform provides updates on progress to address water shortages expected from climate change.
Sources: www.governor.state.nm.us
What We're Reading This Week
- It’s finally farm bill week: Congress begins intensive negotiations on the new farm bill, setting the course for agricultural policy until 2031.
- Iran war's boost to biofuels lifts US agriculture giants' earnings: Conflict in Iran drives up biofuel demand, raising profits for major American agricultural companies.
- Crop Undercount Raises Questions About Reliability of U.S.D.A. Data: USDA crop count data accuracy is questioned after recent undercount impacting market trust.
- Push for raw milk intensifies across the US, despite illness outbreaks and scientists' warnings: Legislative efforts for raw milk access surge nationwide amid ongoing health concerns.
- The invisible force making food less nutritious: Carbon pollution is reducing nutrient content in food, affecting both crop yields and consumer health.
