The U.S. Senate is set to take up the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 after a contentious but ultimately successful vote in the House of Representatives. The bill passed late Thursday on a 224-200 vote, with 14 Democrats joining 209 Republicans in favor. Three Republican members and 197 Democrats opposed the measure. This marks the furthest progress for a new farm bill since the previous legislation expired in 2018, following three years of debate and multiple extensions. The Illinois Farm Bureau responded quickly to the development, issuing an action alert on Tuesday urging members to contact their representatives in support of the bill. Over 1,300 members participated within 48 hours. No Democrats from Illinois voted for the bill, while Republican Representatives Mike Bost, Darin LaHood, and Mary Miller all supported the measure. Often called the “skinny farm bill,” the legislation builds on last July’s reconciliation measure, which invested $66 billion in farm programs and fortified key areas of the farm safety net. However, prior reconciliation rules left major components of the farm bill unfinished. The newly approved bill includes enhancements to crop insurance and addresses California’s Proposition 12. Lawmakers also removed controversial pesticide provisions that would have prevented states from requiring pesticide labels that differ from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. The proposed language faced opposition from public health advocates, who argued it would shield pesticide companies from lawsuits. House leaders also agreed to separate the farm bill from legislation authorizing year-round nationwide E15 ethanol sales, scheduling a standalone vote on E15 for May 13. According to Politico, the House’s farm bill cannot be sent to the Senate until lawmakers resolve the E15 issue. The Senate is now expected to begin its own deliberations on the 2026 farm bill in the coming weeks.