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Introduced June 25, 2025 by Andy Harris
Directs how federal agricultural, rural development, and related foreign assistance programs may operate and how agencies may use funds, while adding many policy riders and administrative requirements. It restricts certain uses of appropriated funds, sets funding floors and ceilings for specific programs, requires approvals or notifications to Appropriations Committees for many actions, and imposes planning, reporting, and audit obligations. Also changes or clarifies rules on food labeling, hemp and animal-food definitions, and other regulatory matters; creates deadlines for agencies to issue guidance or complete studies; and includes targeted appropriations and rescissions affecting USDA, FDA, APHIS, CFTC, Farm Credit Administration, program beneficiaries (including rural communities and persistent poverty counties), schools, WIC, and other partners.
The bill shifts USDA programs toward greater spending oversight and targeted program changes that expand rural finance and some nutrition/food-program flexibilities, but it also cuts and restricts funding and blocks multiple regulatory and program updates—trading short-term fiscal control and ideological policy limits for reduced program flexibility, delayed food-safety rules, and lower conservation/nutrition resources for vulnerable communities.
Rural communities, small businesses, and nonprofit utilities will gain expanded access to Rural Electrification and related USDA loan programs and more-stable funding because eligibility is broadened and certain loan appropriations are made available until expended.
Taxpayers and guaranteed-loan borrowers will face reduced taxpayer exposure because a one-time fee (up to 3%) on certain guaranteed business and industry loans is authorized to offset program costs.
Federal employees and agency IT users will have improved USDA IT capabilities if approved transfers are used for modernization (including cloud adoption), because Working Capital Fund resources may be redirected for IT projects.
Consumers, food industry participants, and farmers will face delayed food-safety and program improvements because the bill blocks or prohibits implementation of multiple USDA and FDA rulemakings (including poultry/livestock rules, SNAP variety rules, and certain FDA traceability/FSMA Section 204 actions).
Low-income individuals, children, and schools will face reduced nutrition resources and less program flexibility because the bill rescinds $100 million from supplemental nutrition unobligated balances and restricts Section 32 carryover and use with caps and notifications.
Rural communities, farmers, and conservation programs will have less funding available for conservation and climate-related work because the bill rescinds $200 million from conservation and Inflation Reduction Act unobligated balances.