Episode 303: Farm Bill Running Out of Runway

With election day 2026 just over three months away, lawmakers in Washington are facing the end of the runway for passing legislation they can take home to their districts before November. Farm state legislators in particular would like to finally have a completed Farm Bill to show for their efforts over the last 18 months, but the possibility of passing farm legislation in both houses and getting it to the President’s desk in time is growing more unlikely with each passing day. And yet, hope springs eternal, and we have our very own, brand new DTN Ag Policy Editor Jake Zajkowski bringing us the latest on the efforts in D.C. He's here to tell us about current Farm Bill work and what to expect in the weeks ahead, but he’ll also give us an update about the ongoing USDA reorganization, and how it might go on to impact farmers as harvest approaches. He’ll then talk to us about the current trade picture, from USMCA reauthorization to the latest tariff announcement, and clue us in to happenings around farm aid, labor, and MAHA. We’ll wrap up with a look ahead at what the outcome of the November midterms could mean for ag policy in the lame duck session. This episode was recorded on July 31, 2026. See DTN newsroom's coverage on the Senate farm bill markup on dtnpf.com.