Congress is gearing up to pass a Farm Bill, which is the legislative package that governs agricultural, food, and other programs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Typically, Congress renews the Farm Bill every 5 years. The last Farm Bill was passed in 2018, meaning that the package has been up for reauthorization in 2023. 

On April 29, 2026, the House Agriculture Committee’s 2026 Farm Bill, H.R. 7567 the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, passed the House on a bipartisan basis. Please find NRHA’s previous letter of support here. Several critical rural provisions were included in this bill, including: 

• Language based on H.R. 1417, the Rural Health Care Facility Technical Assistance (TA) Program Act, which codifies and strengthens the existing hospital TA program with the intention to continue fulfilling its current responsibilities focusing on preventing closures, strengthening essential health services, and improving the financial and operational sustainability of rural health care facilities.
• The ReConnect Program is integrated into the Farm Bill Broadband Program, now renamed the ReConnect Rural Broadband Program.
• The Community Connect Grant Program is reauthorized at $50 million per year based on H.R. 6070.
• The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program is reauthorized at $82 million per year. This provision is based on language in NRHA-endorsed H.R. 290, the Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act, and provides grants to eligible entities for the construction of broadband facilities and equipment related to telepresence activities.
• The Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program, which is reauthorized at $10 million per year for five years. This program offers flexible grant funding for rural areas to maximize job opportunities and support private investment in regional economies. H.R. 291, Creating Access to Rural Employment and Education for Resilience and Success Act, would reauthorize the program.
• The Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) is reauthorized with new improvements pulled from H.R. 4400, the Farmers First Act. This provision also includes elements of  H.R. 5246, the National Agricultural Crisis Hotline Act (118th Congress), and allows FRSAN grants to be used to fund crisis hotlines for individuals in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related jobs.
• The Rural Health Liaison is ordered to coordinate with USDA in implementing FRSAN and submit a report to the Agriculture Committee on  activities in this area.

For more information, review NRHA’s summary here. The bill now awaits Farm Bill action in the Senate. 

As the Senate works towards moving its own Farm Bill forward, NRHA urges inclusion of the important rural health provisions passed in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act. Additionally, NRHA urges the Senate to include S. 4141, the Rural Hospital Revitalization Act. This bill provides 0% interest loans through USDA's Community Facilities Programs to eligible hospitals for renovations or new constructions. Eligible hospitals include CAHs, REHs, and hospitals 35 miles from the nearest hospital that demonstrate need. 

NRHA views the next Farm Bill as an opportunity to improve health care access for agricultural workers and their families, build rural economic and community development, and enhance the overall quality of life in rural communities. NRHA looks forward to Congress enacting a comprehensive, bipartisan Farm Bill to support rural communities.

We encourage you to advocate on behalf of these requests by using the pre-drafted text in the campaign. As always, feel free to add your voice to the pre-drafted text to ensure your elected officials understand the unique needs of your community!  NRHA’s Farm Bill priorities can be found here. If you have any questions, contact Alexa McKinley Abel (amckinley@ruralhealth.us).