Why It Matters: As one of the most wide-reaching pieces of legislation worked on by Congress, the Farm Bill contains many key provisions important to sportsmen and women, as well as wildlife conservation. The private lands provisions contained within the Farm Bill’s Conservation Title create tremendous opportunities to promote wildlife habitat management and, thanks to programs like VPA-HIP, public hunting and angling access on private lands. The passage of an updated Farm Bill by the U.S. House of Representatives represents a significant step toward the enactment of a full Farm Bill since the last one expired in 2023.
Highlights:
- On April 30th, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 224-200 to pass H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, otherwise referred to as the 2026 Farm Bill.
- If passed by Congress, H.R. 7567 would be the first full Farm Bill passed by Congress since the last iteration expired in 2023.
- Included in this bill are several key conservation and public access programs championed by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and partners. While many provisions continue successful programs, H.R. 7567 included the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP) that CSF and partners have been championing for the past several years.
After hours of debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, the 2026 Farm Bill officially passed out of the House and sent to the Senate. . The bill will now be sent to the Senate where Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Senator John Boozman (AR) will work with his colleagues to see that a Farm Bill is reauthorized.
As previously reported, several key conservation provisions related to the Farm Bill were previously adopted through 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This iteration of the Farm Bill includes those changes, but it also makes other key updates and authorizations, including reauthorizing the Conservation Reserve Program, the original and still one of the most impactful private lands conservation programs in the nation. H.R. 7567 also includes the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP), a top priority for CSF and partners that will provide forest landowners the opportunity to enroll forested property in easements for conservation purposes while maintaining the ability to implement active forest management practices.
Finally, and related to the Farm Bill’s Conservation Title, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the availability of funding for a key program known as the Voluntary Public Access – Habitat Incentives Program (VPA-HIP). VPA-HIP supplies grants to state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies to create and support programs that provide public access on participating private lands. Through these programs, landowners voluntarily agree to provide public access and, in return, receive financial incentives and technical assistance related to quality wildlife habitat. Across the country, VPA-HIP has helped increase access and opportunity in many states while boasting high participant satisfaction and a strong return on investment. For more information about VPA-HIP, click here.