The U.S. Senate voted 60-40 Sunday night to advance a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the federal government and include a one-year extension of key farm bill programs, according to Agri-Pulse.
The measure, which funds the government through January 30, 2026, would also suspend permanent agricultural laws to ensure the continuation of modern farm and commodity programs. The bill further extends the Grain Standards Act, authorizing USDA to continue official grain inspection and weighing services vital to U.S. agricultural exports.
While the “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed earlier this year expanded funding for commodity programs, crop insurance, and foreign market promotion, it left the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and several smaller initiatives without reauthorization. The new continuing resolution aims to close those gaps.
The agreement includes provisions to reinstate federal employees who were laid off when the government partially closed on October 1, and it prohibits further reductions in force while the stopgap bill is in effect.
A broader spending package is expected later this week that would fully fund the USDA, FDA, Veterans Affairs, and military construction projects for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Meanwhile, appropriators released a full USDA spending bill allocating $26.7 billion in discretionary funding — maintaining support for conservation, agricultural research, and APHIS programs. The legislation provides:
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$903 million for conservation programs
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$3.8 billion for agricultural research (including $1.8 billion for ARS and $1.7 billion for NIFA)
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$1.2 billion for APHIS, including $13.5 million to help ranchers offset the cost of electronic ID tags
The bill also directs USDA to coordinate with the State Department on transferring the Food for Peace program, which provides food aid abroad, from USAID to USDA oversight.
Together, these measures aim to stabilize agricultural programs and provide clarity for producers navigating market uncertainty during the shutdown period.
