The U.S. House passed a Farm Bill on April 30 after nearly a decade of stalled efforts to update the key legislation.
The U.S. Senate is expected to release its version of the text in June. But in the meantime, the National Young Farmer's Coalition is pressing for more provisions for a new generation of farmers.
The proposed legislation addresses some of what young and small farmers asked for, but many believe it falls short.
"They're all concerned about what's going on with it," Trumbull County farmer Markisha Parker said. "My hope is that the future agricultural policy becomes more accessible and reflective of diversity of today's farming."
The Farm Bill is a massive package of legislation that shapes agriculture and nutrition policy.
The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 covers a wealth of agricultural issues including commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, energy, horticulture, crop insurance, livestock and other animals, and foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land.
Farmers from the National Young Farmers Coalition have expressed concerns that the bill doesn’t do enough for young, first-generation farmers as they see rising farm bankruptcies, increased barriers to land and capital, rising fuel and input prices, and climate pressures.
Parker said while it's encouraging to see legislation moving forward, there seems to be little discussion around the struggles of small, new farmers.
“The conversation is moving in the right direction, we just need stronger maybe implementation and accessibility," she said.
Parker started her small agricultural operation, Parker Farms, in 2020, growing from an urban farming base with limited land. Now she runs five parcels of land that equate to three acres for her tomato crops.
Farming has never been an easy field for Parker, who lost funding in recent DEI cuts.
"I had to pivot with that, a lot of the programs that were under that were cut. A lot of research projects that I was in were cut at the time," she said. "I had to pivot to figure out how I'm going to have this farm keep sustaining."
Parker said the bipartisan bill should stay reflective of this new generation of farmers, not just large and commodity farming operations that typically see the spotlight.
“Farming doesn't just look one way anymore, so I’d love to see like a stronger support for, again, the beginning farmers," she said. "As it was before urban agriculture, local food distribution. And I feel like all small farmers, that's what we all want to see.”
Parker said she is still encouraged by movement toward conservation and research in the bill, bringing her back to her roots as a Central State University graduate.
"The conservation practices, the research projects, the food system still remains part of the conversation," she said. "So programs to support soil health and our local food systems, technical assistance, it's still there. There are still positive parts of it. They're growing recognition nationally to young farmers that need some support entering agriculture, which is encouraging."
