Opinion: Why the farm bill matters for brewers

American farmers are in the midst of the 2026 harvest season amid geopolitical tensions and rapidly shifting global commodity markets. Agriculture, like other business sectors, yearns for certainty, and the farm bill traditionally provides the federal legislative framework to support America’s farmers. Policymakers have historically used the farm bill to address a range of agricultural and food programs, as well as issues that support rural America.  

Farmers nationwide grow barley, hops and other grains essential to beer, while brewers use additional specialty crops — from citrus to cranberries to pumpkins — to craft new flavors. Beer and agriculture are deeply rooted in American culture, and clear policies for the industry’s suppliers are essential.  

Why do we need a new farm bill?  

Agriculture is strategically important to the United States, and the farm bill serves as the cornerstone of U.S. agriculture and food policy. Programs in the farm bill, including crop insurance, help farmers survive unexpected challenges, like extreme weather that leads to poor harvests and rising expenses.  

Congress passed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the 2018 farm bill, eight years ago, and the agricultural landscape has changed significantly since then. Originally set to expire after fiscal year 2023, Congress has extended it three times since then. Those extensions end on Sept. 30, 2026. More than 43,000 farmers and agricultural workers whose livelihoods depend on the American beer industry still need timely legislative solutions.  

A modernized farm bill would strengthen America’s farmers and the beer industry that depends on them. Improved crop insurance, stronger support for barley and hops growers and increased agricultural research funding would help farmers manage rising costs, improve crop quality and ensure a reliable supply of key beer ingredients for years to come. 

What has Congress done so far to move the farm bill?  

In April, the House passed H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026 known as the 2026 farm bill, to extend key agricultural and food programs for five more years. The House passing this legislation is an important first step to modernizing and remedying the piecemeal solutions to the expired farm bill. The extension gives farmers and the beer industry steady support and financial stability during unpredictable times.  

H.R. 7567 invests more than $1 billion for programs that support specialty crop research and boost market access, such as the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program. The 2026 Farm Bill also increases loan limits, enhances the specialty crop safety net to help producers manage the unique risks of farming, including the many factors beyond producers’ control and streamlines the delivery of future economic and disaster assistance.

What else has Congress done to help beer’s agricultural suppliers while we wait for the 2026 farm bill?  

The 2026 House-passed farm bill helps the next generation of farmers and builds on H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, from July 2025. That law made key tax provisions permanent, saving families, farmers and businesses billions.  

H.R. 1 gave farmers and businesses a generational opportunity to hire workers, raise pay and expand with greater confidence. It also invested about $66 billion over 10 years to strengthen the farm safety net and advance agricultural innovation, while enhancing USDA trade promotion programs and doubling funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which supports crops such as hops.  

For family-owned farms and businesses, H.R. 1 made permanent full and immediate expensing for domestic research and development and for capital investments, such as machinery and equipment, encouraging innovation and boosting production nationwide. H.R. 1 also raised the Section 179 Small Business Expensing threshold, made the Small Business Deduction permanent and provided relief from the Estate Tax, allowing over 2 million family-owned farms to better position the next generation of farmers for success. 

Why should Congress act now?  

Extensions and tax provisions cannot substitute for a farm bill that modernizes the many policies that remain stuck in 2018 or earlier.  

With a new version of the farm bill having passed the House, it’s time for the Senate to act. They must ensure that farmers across the country have the stability needed to keep investing in rural communities and the farmers who plant and produce our nation’s food supply.  

Farming, like beer, is crucial to American life and deeply ingrained in our history and culture. Farmers and agricultural communities across the country have been a key source of the United States' success story. The certainty provided by a long-term farm bill will ensure this story continues and will strengthen American agriculture — and the beer industry — for generations to come. 

Chris MacArthur is the director of federal affairs at the Beer Institute.