Senator John Thune Defends Key Farm Bill Priorities

By Scout Nelson

U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota has responded after Senate Democrats blocked the 2026 farm bill from advancing out of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“Democrats’ refusal to support the farm bill and year-round E15 is deeply disappointing and only creates more uncertainty for South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers,” said Thune. “This bill includes over 100 bipartisan bills, yet Democrats chose to put partisan politics above producers and rural America. I know Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee stand ready to enact these sensible agriculture policies.”

The bill includes several proposals written or supported by Thune. One measure would expand livestock disaster assistance to cover feed and water transportation costs. It would also add adverse weather and drought to qualifying disasters.

Another proposal would improve the Conservation Reserve Program by expanding grazing opportunities, increasing enrollment options, and allowing faster emergency haying during drought and other disasters.

The farm bill also includes measures focused on food trade, rural broadband, local meat processing, precision agriculture, and fertilizer price information.

A local processing proposal would help small meat and poultry processors improve their facilities. The precision agriculture measure would encourage farmers and ranchers to adopt new farming technologies.

The legislation also includes a proposal to increase the voluntary base acre update limit and another measure to restore mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef.

Thune has served on the Agriculture Committee in both the House and Senate. He has helped write four previous farm bills, making the 2026 legislation his fifth.