H.R. 4121 — Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to use any appropriations available to the Department in this Act to purchase new passenger motor vehicles, in addition to specific appropriations for that purpose, provided the total number of U.S.-based vehicles purchased in FY2026 does not exceed the number owned or leased in FY2018. Prior to such purchases, the Secretary must determine the vehicles are necessary for transportation safety, to reduce operational costs, and to protect life, property, and public safety. The section further prohibits increasing the Department's U.S.-based vehicle fleet above FY2018 levels without written notification to, and approval from, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress within 30 days.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer unobligated discretionary balances appropriated by this Act or other available unobligated USDA discretionary balances to the department's Working Capital Fund (WCF)—a revolving fund providing centralized financial, administrative, and IT services to USDA agencies—for acquiring property, plant, and equipment and improving, delivering, and implementing such services (including cloud adoption and migration) of primary benefit to USDA agencies, with transferred funds remaining available until expended. The section includes the following conditions and requirements: (1) transfers require prior agency administrator approval; (2) WCF obligations require prior written notification to and approval by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations; (3) no funds from this Act or the WCF may be used to change the National Finance Center (NFC)—which provides shared payroll, financial management, human resources, and IT services to USDA and other federal agencies—without such notification and approval as required by §716 of this Act; (4) no funds may be used to remove or relocate NFC-co-located systems, missions, personnel, or functions of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Information Officer offices without such approval; (5) NFC retains personnel, data center management, and control over current and future human resources, payroll, and integrated personnel and payroll systems; (6) the Secretary and Chief Financial Officer offices must market NFC shared services to other departments and agencies and allow NFC to perform technology upgrades; (7) of annual WCF income allocated to NFC, the Secretary may reserve not more than 4% for capital equipment replacement or acquisition, service improvements, or unforeseen extraordinary costs, subject to committee notification; and (8) notification requirements do not apply to emergency obligations for declared states of emergency impacting NFC operations or employee evacuations.

This section limits negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements (or similar arrangements) between the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and nonprofit institutions—when carrying out programs of mutual interest—to 10% of total direct costs using funds appropriated by this Act. The limitation does not apply to grants and contracts with such institutions where indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all agencies funded by this Act.

This section makes appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in the current fiscal year available until expended to disburse obligations made in that year for (1) the Rural Development Loan Fund program account, (2) the Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans program account, and (3) the Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated to the Department of Agriculture for information technology (IT), requiring (1) approval by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and concurrence of the Executive Information Technology Investment Review Board for new IT systems or significant upgrades, as determined by the CIO; (2) written notification to and prior approval by the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress for any transfers to the Office of the CIO; and (3) notwithstanding 40 U.S.C. 11319, written CIO approval for IT projects, contracts, or agreements over $25,000, except that the CIO may allow obligations up to $250,000 without approval for agencies meeting performance plan requirements described in the explanatory statement accompanying P.L. 113-235.

This section makes funds made available under section 524(b) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act for the current fiscal year available until expended to disburse obligations incurred in that fiscal year. (As background, section 524(b) provides mandatory funding for premium subsidies, administrative costs, and other expenses of the Federal Crop Insurance Program, which offers subsidized insurance policies to agricultural producers against crop production losses.)

This section expands eligibility for assistance under section 313B(a) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936—which authorizes Rural Utilities Service (RUS) electric and telecommunications borrowers to make voluntary deposits into a cushion-of-credit account that earns interest and may be used to reduce outstanding RUS loans or for other approved purposes—to include (1) former RUS borrowers that have repaid or prepaid an insured, direct, or guaranteed loan under the act and (2) not-for-profit utilities eligible for an insured or direct loan under the act. (Thus, such entities may participate in the program in the same manner as current RUS borrowers.)

This section makes not more than $20 million in unobligated balances from appropriations for Farm Service Agency (FSA) salaries and expenses available through September 30, 2027, for information technology expenses.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act for first-class travel by employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention of federal travel regulations at 41 CFR 301-10.122 through 301-10.124.

This section authorizes Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds for programs established or amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79; other than title I), its successors, or programs with indefinite funding in that Act to be used for salaries and related administrative expenses—including technical assistance—for program implementation. Such use is without regard to limitations on total CCC allotments and fund transfers under section 11 of the CCC Charter Act and does not count toward those limitations.

This section limits to $2,900,000 the use of funds appropriated by this Act for necessary expenses of activities related to all advisory committees, panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively awarded grants.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to maintain or establish a computer network unless the network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. The prohibition does not apply to funds used by federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies or other entities carrying out criminal investigations, prosecutions, or adjudications.

This section limits FY2027 funding for the section 32 commodity purchase program (i.e., funds USDA purchases of surplus fruits, vegetables, and other commodities primarily for donation to child nutrition programs) to $1,667,049,000 (exclusive of carryover appropriations from prior fiscal years), including $485 million for Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities, $5 million for State Option Contracts, $2.5 million for Removal of Defective Commodities, and $40.971 million for Administration of section 32 Commodity Purchases. Unobligated balances remaining on October 1, 2026, carry over into FY2027 and remain available until expended for section 32 purposes, except that carryover funds used for clause (3) of section 32 (i.e., purchases to support prices or remove surplus) may not exceed $350 million and require two weeks' advance written notification to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The section further prohibits using appropriated funds—except prior carryover authorized for clause (3)—to pay salaries or expenses of USDA employees carrying out clause (3) of section 32.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to pay salaries and expenses of personnel who prepare or submit President's budget requests for programs under the Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee jurisdiction if those requests assume revenues or spending reductions from proposed user fees not enacted into law, unless the requests also specify alternative spending reductions should the fees not be enacted prior to convening the FY2026 appropriations conference committee.

This section prohibits the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission from reprogramming, transferring, or using appropriated funds, fee collections, or Economy Act reimbursements—including under specified USDA authorities—for certain purposes without 30 days' advance written notification to and approval from the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress, specifically: (1) creating new programs; (2) eliminating a program, project, or activity; (3) increasing funds or personnel for any project or activity denied or restricted by Congress; (4) relocating an office or employees; (5) reorganizing offices, programs, or activities; or (6) contracting out or privatizing functions performed by federal employees. It further prohibits such uses for (1) augmenting existing programs, projects, or activities; (2) reducing funding or personnel for any existing program, project, or activity by 10 percent; or (3) changes resulting from general personnel savings—where the amount exceeds $500,000 or 10 percent (whichever is less); requires approval before implementing any program or activity not conducted in the prior fiscal year unless explicitly funded; restricts modifications to major capital investments (e.g., IT systems) exceeding $500,000 or 10 percent (whichever is less), creation of new entities with five or more personnel, or unbudgeted activities without 30 days' advance notice; and requires written or electronic confirmation of notification receipt.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to assess a one-time fee of up to 3% of the guaranteed principal portion on any guaranteed business and industry (B&I) loan under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, notwithstanding existing prohibitions on such fees. (B&I loans promote rural economic development by guaranteeing up to 80% of loans made by lenders to eligible businesses.)

This section prohibits the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Farm Credit Administration from using appropriated funds to transmit reports, questions, or responses prepared for appropriations hearings to any employee outside the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or Farm Credit Administration.

This section prohibits executive branch agencies from using funds provided in this Act to produce any prepackaged news story intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States unless the story includes a clear notification within the text or audio that it was prepared or funded by that agency (unless otherwise authorized by existing law).

This section prohibits detailing or assigning Department of Agriculture employees between agencies or offices for more than 60 days in a fiscal year unless the receiving agency or office fully reimburses the employing agency or office for the employee's salary and expenses.

This section requires the Secretary of Agriculture, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration to submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 30 days after enactment, a detailed obligation plan—delineated by program, project, and activity as defined in the report accompanying this Act—for all amounts made available by this Act and prior appropriations Acts that remain available for obligation, including appropriated user fees and loan authorizations. The plan serves as the baseline for reprogramming notifications under section 716 of this Act and includes estimated obligations for each program, project, or activity broken down by (1) fiscal quarter, (2) source appropriation, and (3) number of full-time equivalent positions supported. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the section prohibits transfers or reprogramming of such funds except pursuant to section 716 of this Act.

This section rescinds $100 million of unobligated balances from amounts made available for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)—which reimburses meals and snacks served to children and adults in child care centers, family day care homes, and adult day care facilities. No amounts may be rescinded from funds designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to increase by up to 25% the program levels for loans and loan guarantees that do not require budget authority and whose levels are established in this Act, provided the Secretary notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing at least 15 days in advance.

This section prohibits the obligation of credit card refunds or rebates transferred to the Department of Agriculture Working Capital Fund—pursuant to section 729 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002 (7 U.S.C. 2235a)—without written notification to and prior approval by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. Such funds are available only for acquiring property, plant, and equipment to improve departmental financial management, information technology, and related support systems necessary for delivering financial, administrative, and information technology services, including cloud adoption and migration, primarily benefiting Department of Agriculture agencies.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to implement, administer, or enforce the "variety" requirements of the Department of Agriculture's final rule entitled "Enhancing Retailer Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)" (published December 15, 2016; 81 Fed. Reg. 90675)—which sets minimum stock requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers to stock a variety of staple foods (i.e., meat/poultry/fish, dairy, breads/grains, fruits/vegetables)—until the Secretary of Agriculture amends the regulatory definitions of "variety" (7 C.F.R. § 278.1(b)(1)(ii)(C)) and "staple food" (7 C.F.R. § 271.2) to increase the number of qualifying items per staple food category above 2016 rule levels. Until those amendments, the Secretary must apply SNAP retailer variety and breadth-of-stock requirements in effect the day before enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79; i.e., February 6, 2014).

This section grants the Secretary of Agriculture the same authority with respect to loans guaranteed under section 502(h) of the Housing Act of 1949 (i.e., single-family rural housing loans primarily serving low- and very low-income households) and eligible lenders for such loans as the Secretary has under subsections (h) and (j) of section 538 of such Act (i.e., multifamily rural housing guaranteed loans).

This section prohibits the U.S. Department of Agriculture from using funds appropriated by this Act to propose, finalize, or implement any regulation establishing new user fees under the general user fee authority (31 U.S.C. 9701) after the date of enactment.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to write, prepare, publish, implement, or enforce five specified USDA rules related to poultry grower contracting transparency, payment and capital improvement systems, market integrity under the Packers and Stockyards Act, and fair livestock and poultry markets (88 Fed. Reg. 83210; 89 Fed. Reg. 16092, 53886; 90 Fed. Reg. 5146), or any substantially similar subsequent rulemaking. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to use available funds to withdraw or rescind such proposed rules, advance notices of proposed rulemaking, and finalized rules; and to discontinue pending investigations or enforcement activities under them, with notice to affected parties.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to charge meat, poultry, and egg processing establishments for the cost of FSIS inspection services provided outside approved shifts and on federal holidays, notwithstanding existing overtime and holiday pay regulations for FSIS inspectors. Sums collected are deemed overtime or holiday pay under section 1001(d) of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and remain available until expended, without further appropriation, to fund all FSIS inspection costs.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct audits of countries or regions evaluating specified factors (i.e., veterinary control and oversight; disease history and vaccination practices; livestock demographics and traceability; epidemiological separation from potential sources of infection; surveillance practices; diagnostic laboratory capabilities; and emergency preparedness and response) and to promptly make final audit reports publicly available. This section applies consistent with U.S. international trade agreements.

This section authorizes banks for cooperatives (i.e., Farm Credit System institutions under 12 U.S.C. § 2128 that finance agricultural cooperatives) to make and participate in loans and commitments and to provide technical and other financial assistance to cooperatives and other public or private entities (except the federal government) for installing, maintaining, expanding, improving, or operating facilities in rural areas (as defined in 12 U.S.C. § 2128(f)) used for (1) processing or disposing of waste from any source, (2) providing telecommunication services, or (3) producing electricity from any source for the borrower's use or sale.

This section directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use not less than $200 million from funds provided by this Act, or from available fee accounts, for enforcement activities related to e-cigarettes, vapes, and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)—tobacco products that require premarket authorization under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act—including the following: (1) updating FDA's January 2020 enforcement priorities document (last updated April 13, 2020) to expand prioritized enforcement to flavored disposable ENDS products in addition to cartridge-based products and to define "disposable ENDS product"; (2) preparing and publicly posting on the FDA website a monthly updated list of products that (A) have received marketing granted orders under FDA Tobacco Control Act section 910(c)(1)(A)(i), (B) have received stayed, rescinded, or vacated marketing denial orders under section 910(c), or (C) have premarket tobacco product applications under section 910(b) that have remained pending since on or before September 9, 2020; (3) continuing the Department of Justice-led, FDA-supported federal multi-agency task force to combat illegal ENDS manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale from China and other foreign countries using all criminal and civil tools; and (4) submitting semiannual reports to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on the Center for Tobacco Products' progress in removing illegal ENDS from the market.

This section requires all iron and steel products used in the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of public water or wastewater systems funded by rural water, wastewater, waste disposal, and solid waste management programs (authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 7 U.S.C. 1926 et seq.) to be produced in the United States. Iron and steel products include lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast concrete, and construction materials. (These programs provide loans and grants to municipalities, nonprofits, and tribes for essential rural infrastructure.) The requirement does not apply if the Secretary of Agriculture determines it is inconsistent with the public interest, such products are unavailable in sufficient quantities or quality domestically, or their use increases overall project costs by more than 25 percent (with waiver requests posted online for 15 days of public input); to projects with state-approved engineering plans prior to enactment; or in a manner inconsistent with U.S. international obligations. The Secretary may retain up to 0.25% of funds appropriated for the Rural Utilities Service—Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account for oversight, and "United States" and "State" include the states, District of Columbia, and federally recognized Indian tribes.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act, directly or indirectly, to influence congressional action on any legislation or appropriation matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.

This section requires that, to the maximum extent feasible, at least 10% of funds made available by this Act for direct loans and grants under specified Rural Housing Service (i.e., rural housing insurance fund, mutual and self-help housing grants, rural housing assistance grants, and rural community facilities programs), Rural Business-Cooperative Service (i.e., rural business program, rural economic development loans, rural cooperative development grants, and rural microentrepreneur assistance programs), and Rural Utilities Service (i.e., rural water and waste disposal, rural electrification and telecommunications loans, and distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband programs) accounts be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties. Persistent poverty counties are defined as any county (or U.S. territory or possession) that has had 20% or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-year data; this allocation requirement includes, notwithstanding population limits, any county seat of such a county with a population not exceeding the authorized limit by more than 10% and applies to program levels for activities not supported by budget authority.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to notify a sponsor or acknowledge receipt of a submission for an investigational new drug exemption under section 505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (i.e., IND for drugs) or section 351(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (i.e., IND for biologics) involving research that intentionally creates or modifies a human embryo to include a heritable genetic modification. Such submissions are deemed not received by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, preventing the exemptions from going into effect.

This section prohibits the use of federal funds to enforce the FDA's final Produce Safety Rule (published November 27, 2015) or its proposed agricultural water standards (86 Fed. Reg. 69120; 87 Fed. Reg. 42973) with respect to entities that grow, harvest, pack, or hold wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, or almonds. (These rules, issued under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, establish science-based standards to minimize microbial contamination risks in produce.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to restrict or limit the substitution of any vegetable subgroup for fruits under the School Breakfast Program for school years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. (The School Breakfast Program reimburses schools that serve reimbursable breakfasts meeting federal nutrition standards to primarily low-income students.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act or any other Act from (1) contravening key hemp legalization provisions—section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (authorizing hemp production for research), subtitle G of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (establishing the domestic hemp production program), or section 10114 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (requiring USDA to develop a hemp production plan)—or (2) prohibiting the transportation, processing, sale, or use of hemp or its seeds grown in accordance with those provisions, including across state lines. (Thus, the provision protects interstate commerce in federally compliant hemp.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to implement, administer, or enforce any rule reducing the maximum monthly milk allowance in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—which provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health referrals to at-risk low-income women, infants, and children—from the level in 7 CFR 246.10 as in effect on April 1, 2023, including the USDA final rule revising WIC food packages (89 Fed. Reg. 28488, April 18, 2024). (Thus, the milk allowance remains at pre-April 2024 revision levels.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to impose updated minimum efficiency standards for new housing financed by the Department of Agriculture under the notice entitled “Final Determination: Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD and USDA Financed Housing” (89 Fed. Reg. 33112).

This section permanently rescinds $78 million of unobligated balances from prior-year appropriations made available in the Working Capital Fund, excluding amounts designated by Congress as an emergency or disaster relief requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

This section allows food manufacturers to continue complying with prior FDA requirements for the implied nutrient content claim “healthy” through the compliance date specified in FDA's final rule updating those requirements (following its proposed rule at 87 Fed. Reg. 59168, Sept. 29, 2022). It preempts, during that compliance period, any state requirements on products manufactured and labeled as “healthy” that are not identical to either (i) the federal requirements in effect on the date FDA issues the final rule or (ii) the updated federal requirements.

This section conditions the use of funds under title II of the Food for Peace Act—USAID's primary emergency food assistance authority, which provides U.S.-donated commodities to combat famine and food shortages abroad—on adequate monitoring and controls, as determined by the Administrator, to ensure aid reaches intended beneficiaries and is not diverted.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to procure raw or processed poultry products or seafood imported from China for the school lunch program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer Food Service Program for Children under such Act, or the school breakfast program under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

This section limits, for school year 2026–2027, the requirement under section 12(p) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(p))—which mandates that school food authorities price paid lunches to cover full costs if their nonprofit school food service accounts have deficits—to only those school food authorities with a negative balance in such account as of June 30, 2025.

This section makes funds withheld by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to section 1668(g)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 available for biotechnology risk assessment research grants—which support research on environmental, food safety, and other risks posed by agricultural biotechnology—and authorizes the Secretary to transfer such funds among Department of Agriculture appropriations for that purpose.

This section prohibits the Department of Agriculture from using appropriated funds to relocate any staff office or agency from its mission area as of August 1, 2018, to another mission area or office within the department without enactment of specific authorizing legislation.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to use funds appropriated for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program and Watershed Rehabilitation Program—both carried out under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (i.e., providing technical and financial assistance to local sponsors for flood prevention, watershed protection, and rehabilitation of aging structures)—and the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP; i.e., providing assistance for hazard mitigation after natural disasters) to fund technical assistance for those programs under section 1252(a)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985, notwithstanding subsection (c) of that section. (Thus, the provision overrides restrictions on using program funds for such technical assistance.)

This section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, in administering the pilot program for distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband in rural areas established by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), to consider “Areas Rural in Character” (i.e., communities not statistically rural but designated as having rural character) as eligible for assistance, provided that no more than 10% of funds available under the “Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program” heading are used for this purpose.

This section appropriates $2 million, to remain available until expended, for the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP)—established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to increase meat and poultry processing capacity—to award grants to processors of invasive, wild-caught catfish.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, trainings, programs, offices, officers, policies, or any program, project, or activity that promotes or advances Critical Race Theory or any concept associated with Critical Race Theory.

This section prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from using appropriated funds to issue or promote new guidelines or regulations applicable to food manufacturers for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) until the FDA considers available new science in developing Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 555.320 on Lm in low-risk foods (i.e., foods that do not support Lm growth).

This section prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from using funds appropriated by this Act to develop, issue, promote, or advance final guidelines or new regulations applicable to food manufacturers for long-term population-wide sodium reduction actions until completion of an assessment on the impact of short-term sodium reduction targets. (As background, FDA's short-term targets, established in 2022, seek voluntary reductions in sodium content across 20 food categories to lower average U.S. intake from 3,400 mg to 3,000 mg daily.)

This section appropriates $4 million, to remain available until September 30, 2027, for cotton classing activities (i.e., USDA classification services for cotton quality standards and marketing) pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 55, including equipment and facility upgrades and in addition to other funds available for the purpose. Such amounts are treated as funds collected by fees authorized under that section.

This section revises the definition of hemp to mean the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part thereof (including industrial hemp) with a total tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis, excluding (i) viable seeds from plants exceeding that threshold and (ii) hemp-derived cannabinoid products containing synthetic cannabinoids, plant-derived cannabinoids manufactured outside the plant, or quantifiable THC or THC-like cannabinoids (as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture); establishes a definition for industrial hemp as hemp grown for non-cannabinoid uses (e.g., stalk fiber, seed oil or products, low-THC microgreens or edible leaves, research at institutions of higher education not entering commerce, or viable seeds for such purposes); and defines hemp-derived cannabinoid product as any cannabinoid-containing intermediate or final product derived from hemp (other than industrial hemp) intended for human or animal use (e.g., via inhalation, ingestion, or topical application), excluding FDA-approved drugs.

This section exempts premium pay for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) employees—when determined by the APHIS Administrator to be in response to an animal disease outbreak—from the aggregate basic pay and premium pay limitations under 5 U.S.C. §5547 and other laws, effective as if enacted on January 1, 2023. (Thus, such premium pay, whether funded directly or through reimbursement, does not count toward biweekly or annual premium pay caps.)

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to pay salaries or expenses of personnel (1) inspecting horses under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, (2) inspecting horses under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, or (3) implementing or enforcing 9 CFR 352.19 (or successor regulation). (Thus, this restriction effectively prevents horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States, as ante-mortem inspection is required for meat to enter commerce.)

This section directs the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, in developing the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to consider only the findings and recommendations of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on alcohol consumption required by Section 772 of Division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328). The section further requires the alcohol consumption recommendations in those guidelines to be based on the preponderance of scientific and medical knowledge, consistent with 7 U.S.C. § 5341.

This section requires the acceptable market name of any engineered animal approved prior to the effective date of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (February 19, 2019) to include the words “genetically engineered” prior to the existing acceptable market name, notwithstanding any other provision of law.

This section includes the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) on a case-by-case basis, pursuant to specified authorities, for covered transactions involving agricultural land, agricultural biotechnology, or the agriculture industry (including agricultural transportation, storage, and processing), as determined by the CFIUS chairperson in coordination with the Secretary. It further directs the Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable, to notify CFIUS of agricultural land transactions the Secretary has reason to believe are covered transactions posing national security risks—based on Intelligence Community information and with emphasis on interests acquired by foreign governments or entities of concern (i.e., People's Republic of China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, and Islamic Republic of Iran)—or that require reporting under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501(a)).

This section authorizes agencies and offices of the Department of Agriculture to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) for costs incurred in providing services under time-limited agreements, using funds provided in this Act. Such transfer authority is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to implement, administer, or enforce the FDA's "Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods" final rule (87 Fed. Reg. 70910; Nov. 21, 2022) or any other rule promulgated under section 204 of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (i.e., requiring traceability records for high-risk foods on the Food Traceability List to enable faster outbreak response) prior to August 1, 2028, and until FDA (1) completes at least four evaluations or beta tests using multiple Food Traceability List products, in coordination with farms and food industry members (e.g., restaurants, retail establishments, registered facilities, packing facilities, and warehouses), to identify and test low-cost traceability technologies tracking lot codes and sources through the global supply chain (including effectiveness and economic feasibility for operations of various sizes) and to facilitate interoperability via industry standards, model data formats, and reusable templates; and (2) establishes an expert panel—including retailers, distributors, growers, state/local officials, and public health officials—to assess FDA's foodborne illness traceback investigations (for foreign and domestic suppliers) and provide feedback on the evaluations or beta tests, with panel outcomes and recommendations published no later than one year after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to develop within 120 days of enactment—in consultation with the Department of State and governments of Abraham Accords countries—a plan considering the location, duties, and personnel necessary for an Abraham Accords Bureau within the Food and Drug Administration.

This section (1) extends the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard through 2026 (from 2025); and (2) extends authorization of appropriations for the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Program through 2026 (from 2025). (The disclosure standard requires food manufacturers to disclose the presence of bioengineered material; the reporting program requires packers and importers to submit livestock purchase and sales data to USDA.)

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, not later than 180 days after enactment, to amend Food Packages I and II of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—which provide supplemental foods for infants aged 0-12 months—to require the inclusion of peanut-containing foods for early introduction of potentially allergenic foods and to ensure such foods are safe for infant consumption. The Secretary must implement the amendments consistent with recommendations for early peanut introduction in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

This section prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the declaration as excess or surplus federal property under 40 U.S.C. Chapter 5 of subtitle I or the conveyance or transfer of the federal land and facilities at El Reno, Oklahoma, administered by the Secretary of Agriculture as the Grazinglands Research Laboratory—a U.S. Department of Agriculture facility conducting research on grazing management, forage production, and livestock systems—through September 30, 2026.

This section deems animal food ingredients listed in the 2025 edition (or subsequent editions) of the AAFCO Official Publication as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) for use in specified animal species, absent a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finding to the contrary. The section further establishes criteria under which "natural" claims on animal food labels, labeling, or advertising are not misbranded under the FD&C Act, including requirements that such food or ingredients derive solely from plant, animal, or mined sources subject only to specified non-chemical processing (with limited exceptions), that the claim apply only to the food as a whole if all components qualify, and that labels disclose added chemically synthesized vitamins, minerals, or trace nutrients via a prominent disclaimer; it also preempts any state or local requirements on such claims that differ from or are more stringent than these criteria. (Thus, animal food producers may use "natural" labeling nationwide under uniform federal standards, subject to substantiation.) Additionally, the section (1) preserves state authority for post-market food safety oversight (e.g., under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act); (2) directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the FDA Commissioner, to issue initial guidance within 18 months of enactment on pet food nutritional adequacy, metabolizable energy protocols, testing affidavits, calorie claims, analytical variations, and menadione use—based initially on the 2025 AAFCO Official Publication; and (3) requires proposed regulations within one year and final regulations within two years of enactment to implement these provisions, incorporating specified AAFCO model regulations for commercial feed (Regulations 1-10) and pet/specialty pet food (PF 1-12). The section applies beginning in FY2026.

This section prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from using funds appropriated by this Act or any other Act to finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule titled "Requirements for Tobacco Product Manufacturing Practice," published on March 10, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 15174), or any substantially similar rule. (Thus, the rule—which would establish current good manufacturing practice requirements for tobacco products—remains proposed.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to (1) classify or facilitate the classification of any communications by a United States person as mis-, dis-, or mal-information; or (2) partner with or fund nonprofit or other organizations that instruct, influence, direct, or recommend that private companies censor, prohibit, or obstruct lawful and constitutionally protected speech of United States persons, including recommending the censoring or removal of content on social media platforms.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of applying the Buy American requirement (as described in 7 CFR 201.21(d) (2022)) to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786)—including impacts on the U.S. agricultural economy—and to submit the results to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, House Committee on Agriculture, and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry not later than one year after enactment of this Act.

This section expands the authorized purposes of SNAP Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program (SNAP-Ed) grants to include improving the health of participating households by restricting their purchase of non-nutritious food and beverage items, as determined by the Secretary. (As background, SNAP-Ed provides competitive grants to states, localities, and tribes for nutrition education and obesity prevention activities targeted at low-income SNAP participants.)

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds by the Secretary of Agriculture, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration to fly or display any flag over a facility of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or Farm Credit Administration other than the U.S. flag; a state, territory, or District of Columbia flag; an Indian Tribal Government flag; an official U.S. department or agency flag; or the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action flag.

This section rescinds $100 million of unobligated balances from prior-year appropriations for conservation activities under Natural Resources Conservation Service–Conservation Operations. No amounts may be rescinded from funds designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

This section rescinds $100 million of unobligated balances appropriated by section 10301(1)(A)(ii) of P.L. 117-169 (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022) for Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations projects located in low-income communities or communities historically subject to economic distress (as defined by DOE).

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act or prior appropriations Acts from being used to take discriminatory actions against any person who person, wholly or partially, on the basis that such person speaks or acts in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as a union of one man and one woman. Discriminatory actions include (1) altering federal tax treatment or assessing taxes/penalties against, or denying tax-exempt status to, such persons; (2) disallowing deductions for charitable contributions made to or by such persons; (3) withholding, reducing, or denying federal grants, contracts, loans, employment, or similar benefits to such persons; (4) withholding or denying federal entitlements or benefits, including in educational programs, to such persons; or (5) denying access to federal property, facilities, or speech fora to such persons. This section further requires the federal government to deem any such person accredited, licensed, or certified for federal law purposes, notwithstanding any contrary determination based on those beliefs.