Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027
This spending measure provides annual funding and sets operating rules for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies for fiscal year 2027. It updates federal nutrition programs by requiring infant-safe peanut foods in WIC packages to prevent allergies, setting milk limits, and barring Chinese poultry and seafood from school meals. The bill also dedicates $200 million in tobacco fees to crack down on illegal disposable vapes, standardizes pet food labeling under federal rules, and requires at least 10 percent of rural development aid to go to persistent-poverty counties. In addition, it restricts federal agencies from penalizing individuals or organizations based on traditional religious views of marriage and blocks funding for horse slaughter inspections.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Former Rural Utilities Service borrowers and nonprofit utilitiesExtends eligibility for rural economic development assistance under the Rural Electrification Act to former RUS borrowers that repaid their loans and to eligible nonprofit utilities (Sec. 708).
- Domestic iron and steel manufacturersRequires 100 percent domestic iron and steel products to be used in USDA-funded rural water and wastewater infrastructure projects, subject to limited waivers (Sec. 731).
- Communities in persistent poverty countiesRequires at least 10 percent of funds across major rural housing, business, utility, and broadband loan and grant programs to be targeted to persistent poverty counties (Sec. 733).
- Growers and handlers of wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, and almondsBars the FDA from enforcing produce safety standards and agricultural water regulations against entities that grow, harvest, pack, or hold wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, or almonds (Sec. 735).
- Hemp growers, processors, and distributorsProtects the interstate transportation, processing, sale, and use of legally grown hemp and hemp seeds from federal interference (Sec. 737).
- Pet food and animal feed manufacturersPreempts state-level animal food labeling laws, establishes federal label standards, sets a 180-day FDA review clock for new ingredient submissions, and clarifies allowable label claims (Sec. 772).
- Donors and distributors of pet food and suppliesGrants immunity from civil and criminal liability to individuals, businesses, local governments, and nonprofits when donating or distributing apparently fit pet food and supplies in good faith (Sec. 774).
- Low-income seniorsProvides an additional $2.5 million to supply low-income seniors with coupons for fresh produce at farmers' markets and roadside stands (Sec. 777).
- Religious and faith-based organizations and individualsProhibits the federal government from revoking tax exemptions, grants, contracts, or certifications based on a person's or organization's religious or moral belief regarding marriage (Sec. 764).
Who it burdens
- Nonprofit institutions entering USDA cooperative agreementsCaps indirect overhead cost payments on USDA cooperative agreements at 10 percent of direct costs (Sec. 704).
- Meat, poultry, and egg processing plantsAuthorizes FSIS to charge meat, poultry, and egg processing plants for overtime, holiday, and off-shift inspection services and use those revenues to fund inspection operations (Sec. 729).
- Distressed farm loan borrowersPermanently cancels $95 million in unobligated financial assistance funds originally allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act for distressed farm loan borrowers (Sec. 750).
Who backs it
- Tobacco product manufacturers paying FDA user feesDirects not less than $200 million in tobacco product user fees to FDA enforcement and a multi-agency task force targeting illegal e-cigarettes, vapes, and flavored disposable products (Sec. 766).
Who opposes it
- Commercial horse slaughter facilitiesProhibits using funds to inspect horses for slaughter, continuing the federal prohibition on operating commercial horse slaughter facilities for human consumption in the United States (Sec. 756).
- Manufacturers and distributors of illicit vaping productsDirects targeted multi-agency law enforcement, inspections, seizures, and prioritized regulatory actions against illegal electronic nicotine delivery systems and flavored disposable vapes (Sec. 766).
The provisions, in plain language.
Show all 82 provisions
Mandates that rural public water and waste disposal projects funded by the bill use 100 percent domestic iron and steel, subject to specific public interest, availability, and cost waiver exceptions.
Directs that at least 10 percent of funding across major rural housing, business, utility, and broadband programs be allocated to persistent poverty counties.
Prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from reviewing or allowing clinical trials that involve human embryos intentionally created or modified to contain heritable genetic modifications.
Prohibits purchasing poultry or seafood imported from China for use in federal school meal and child nutrition programs.
Prohibits federal funding for inspecting horses for slaughter, effectively continuing the ban on commercial horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States.
Prohibits the implementation of USDA rules on poultry grower contracts, tournament payment systems, and livestock market competition under the Packers and Stockyards Act, ordering their withdrawal.
Prohibits the federal government from denying tax exemptions, grants, contracts, licenses, or benefits to any person or organization based on their religious or moral belief that marriage is a union of one man and one woman.
Allocates at least $200 million in tobacco user fees for FDA enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes and vaping products, establishes a multi-agency enforcement task force, and requires prioritizing enforcement against flavored disposable vapes.
Delays enforcement of the FDA Food Traceability Rule until July 20, 2028, and directs the FDA to identify tracking flexibilities and convene an expert stakeholder panel.
Establishes uniform federal standards for pet food and animal feed labeling, preempts state animal food labeling laws, sets a 180-day deadline for FDA ingredient reviews, and defines permissible health and "natural" marketing claims.
Limits Department of Agriculture vehicle purchases in fiscal year 2027 to not exceed fiscal year 2018 fleet levels unless justified for safety or cost reasons and approved by congressional appropriations committees.
Authorizes transfers of unused discretionary funds into the Working Capital Fund for IT and administrative support, while requiring congressional approval for alterations to the National Finance Center and maintaining its core payroll and personnel functions.
Limits the availability of all funds in this Act to the current fiscal year unless extended by specific statutory language.
Caps indirect overhead cost payments on Department of Agriculture cooperative agreements with nonprofit institutions at 10 percent of direct costs.
Permits loan funds for the Rural Development Loan Fund, Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans, and Rural Housing Insurance Fund to remain available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year.
Requires Chief Information Officer approval and congressional notification for major information technology acquisitions and upgrades over specified spending thresholds.
Keeps crop insurance education and risk management funds available until expended to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year.
Extends eligibility for rural economic development assistance to former Rural Utilities Service borrowers that have repaid their loans and to eligible nonprofit utilities.
Allows the Farm Service Agency to carry over up to $20 million in unused salaries and expenses funding through September 30, 2028, for information technology expenses.
Prohibits using appropriated funds for first-class employee travel in violation of federal travel regulations.
Permits Commodity Credit Corporation funds to cover administrative costs and technical assistance for specified farm bill programs without being counted against statutory allotment caps.
Caps total spending on Department of Agriculture advisory committees, panels, and task forces at $2.9 million, excluding rulemaking and grant evaluation panels.
Bars the use of funds to maintain federal computer networks that do not block pornography, except for law enforcement and judicial activities.
Limits Section 32 agricultural support spending to $1.717 billion, setting specific funding amounts for child nutrition commodities, state option contracts, and administration while restricting emergency market direct payments.
Prohibits spending funds on budget proposals that assume revenue from unauthorized user fees unless the submission identifies offsetting spending cuts.
Restricts agencies from reprogramming, transferring, or reorganizing funds and personnel without prior notification and approval from congressional appropriations committees.
Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to charge an upfront fee of up to 3 percent on guaranteed business and industry loans.
Prohibits agencies from sharing congressional hearing questions and draft answers with outside individuals or entities.
Requires any agency-produced prepackaged news story distributed domestically to contain a clear disclaimer identifying federal funding or production.
Prohibits detailing Department of Agriculture employees between offices for longer than 60 days without full salary reimbursement from the receiving office.
Directs covered agencies to submit detailed quarterly obligation plans and staffing projections within 30 days of enactment to serve as reprogramming baselines.
Requires the Department of Agriculture to notify congressional appropriations committees at least 3 business days before terminating any grant or contract worth $1 million or more.
Excludes incarcerated prison populations when calculating community eligibility and assistance levels for Rural Housing Service programs.
Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to increase loan and guarantee program levels by up to 25 percent (or up to 50 percent for rural electric loans) upon 15 days advance notice to Congress.
Requires congressional approval before spending purchase card rebates deposited in the Working Capital Fund, restricting their use to capital equipment and IT improvements.
Blocks the enforcement of expanded staple food variety requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailers until regulations are revised, maintaining pre-2014 retailer stock standards.
Aligns lender oversight and guarantee enforcement authorities for single-family rural housing loans with existing authorities for multi-family rural housing loans.
Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from establishing new administrative user fees under general federal user fee authority.
Authorizes the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to charge meat, poultry, and egg processing plants for overtime, holiday, and off-shift inspection services and retain the revenues to fund inspection operations.
Requires the Department of Agriculture to audit foreign veterinary and livestock disease control systems and publish the final audit reports online.
Prohibits the use of appropriated funds for grassroots lobbying or influencing pending legislation before Congress.
Bars the FDA from enforcing food safety standards and agricultural water rules on growers and handlers of wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, and almonds.
Allows schools participating in the School Breakfast Program to substitute any vegetable subgroup for fruits without restriction during the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 school years.
Prohibits federal interference with the lawful interstate transportation, processing, sale, or use of hemp and hemp seeds.
Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to waive non-federal matching fund requirements for specialty crop research and extension grants.
Adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for agricultural reviews and requires alerting CFIUS to high-risk foreign purchases of U.S. farmland.
Allows remaining fiscal year 2017 funds to be used for Department of Agriculture facility construction, repairs, and land acquisitions.
Conditions international food aid under the Food for Peace Act on having adequate monitoring controls in place to prevent aid diversion.
Exempts school food authorities from mandatory paid school lunch price increases for the 2027–2028 school year if their food service account was not operating at a deficit.
Directs withheld research funds into grants for biotechnology risk assessment research.
Sets specific maximum monthly fluid milk allowances across food packages under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for fiscal year 2027.
Authorizes the Natural Resources Conservation Service to use watershed and flood prevention funds to provide direct technical assistance.
Allows communities designated as rural in character to participate in the rural broadband pilot program, capping spending on these communities at 10 percent.
Permanently restricts the conveyance or transfer of specified federal agricultural property.
Authorizes Farm Credit banks for cooperatives to finance rural facilities for waste processing, telecommunications, and electricity generation.
Permanently cancels $95 million in unobligated financial assistance balances for distressed farm loan borrowers provided under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Appropriates an additional $2 million for specified prior agricultural programs.
Bars the FDA from issuing new Listeria regulations for low-risk ready-to-eat foods that do not support bacterial growth until updated science is evaluated.
Directs the Department of Agriculture to update WIC infant food packages within 180 days to include infant-safe peanut foods for early allergy introduction.
Applies national school lunch milk variety standards to breakfasts served under the School Breakfast Program.
Exempts Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) employees responding to plant or animal disease emergencies from statutory overtime and premium pay caps.
Restricts the flags that may be flown over USDA, FDA, CFTC, and Farm Credit Administration facilities to national, state, tribal, agency, and POW/MIA flags.
Blocks the Department of Agriculture from lowering the maximum allowable direct rural housing loan limit from 80 percent to 60 percent without formal notice-and-comment rulemaking.
Requires genetically engineered animals approved prior to February 19, 2019, to include the words "genetically engineered" in their official market name.
Directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to research and develop nationwide index-based insurance policies covering crop losses caused by frost and cold weather events.
Prohibits enforcing shell egg refrigeration requirements on surplus broiler hatching eggs directed to egg-breaking plants for pasteurized liquid egg processing.
Authorizes Department of Agriculture agencies to directly reimburse the Office of the General Counsel for legal services provided under time-limited agreements.
Rescinds $40 million in unused funds previously appropriated for the rural broadband pilot loan and grant program.
Extends statutory authority for mandatory livestock price and volume reporting through fiscal year 2027.
Bars the FDA from advancing new population-wide sodium reduction targets for food manufacturers until the release of the 2025–2026 national nutrition survey results.
Prohibits closing or downsizing Natural Resources Conservation Service or Rural Development local field offices to two or fewer staff without congressional approval.
Appropriates $1 million to provide processing expansion grants specifically for processors of invasive, wild-caught catfish.
Appropriates $1.5 million for emergency and transitional housing assistance grants for pet owners experiencing domestic violence.
Protects individuals, businesses, local governments, and nonprofits from civil and criminal liability when donating or distributing pet food and supplies in good faith, except in cases of gross negligence.
Prohibits requiring non-federal cost-sharing or matching funds for Specialty Crop Block Grant Program recipients in fiscal year 2027.
Prohibits the Department of Agriculture from closing or consolidating Agricultural Research Service laboratories without prior notification and approval from congressional committees.
Appropriates an additional $2.5 million for the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program to provide low-income seniors with fresh produce coupons.
Expands the definition of specialty crops to include millet under the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act.
Restructures repayment terms for the Arkansas Valley Conduit water project, capping local obligations at 35 percent of costs with hardship repayment terms up to 75 years at half interest.
Prohibits the FDA from issuing or finalizing regulatory guidance that requires or recommends testing drugs, biologics, or medical devices on dogs.
Prohibits the National Institute of Food and Agriculture from funding or conducting research on dogs or cats that involves severe pain or distress.
Prohibits delays in regulatory reviews or facility inspections needed to prevent or resolve shortages of sterile injectable cancer medications.
Mandates that rural public water and waste disposal projects funded by the bill use 100 percent domestic iron and steel, subject to specific public interest, availability, and cost waiver exceptions.
Directs that at least 10 percent of funding across major rural housing, business, utility, and broadband programs be allocated to persistent poverty counties.
Prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from reviewing or allowing clinical trials that involve human embryos intentionally created or modified to contain heritable genetic modifications.
Prohibits purchasing poultry or seafood imported from China for use in federal school meal and child nutrition programs.
Prohibits federal funding for inspecting horses for slaughter, effectively continuing the ban on commercial horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States.
Prohibits the implementation of USDA rules on poultry grower contracts, tournament payment systems, and livestock market competition under the Packers and Stockyards Act, ordering their withdrawal.
Prohibits the federal government from denying tax exemptions, grants, contracts, licenses, or benefits to any person or organization based on their religious or moral belief that marriage is a union of one man and one woman.
Allocates at least $200 million in tobacco user fees for FDA enforcement against illegal e-cigarettes and vaping products, establishes a multi-agency enforcement task force, and requires prioritizing enforcement against flavored disposable vapes.
Delays enforcement of the FDA Food Traceability Rule until July 20, 2028, and directs the FDA to identify tracking flexibilities and convene an expert stakeholder panel.
Establishes uniform federal standards for pet food and animal feed labeling, preempts state animal food labeling laws, sets a 180-day deadline for FDA ingredient reviews, and defines permissible health and "natural" marketing claims.
How your members of Congress line up
How members voted on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027.
Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.
How it moved.
Show all 22 actions
- Received in the Senate.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 210 (Roll no. 205).
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 210 (Roll no. 205).
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 212 (Roll no. 204).
- The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.
- Ms. Bynum moved to recommit to the Committee on Appropriations. (text: CR H3875)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3875-3876)
- Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the House resumed with further consideration of H.R. 8646.
- POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair announced further proceedings on H.R. 8646 would be postponed.
- The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
- The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
- The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 8646.
- DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1333, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Harris (MD) amendment en bloc.
- GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 8646.
- The Speaker designated the Honorable Gabe Evans to act as Chairman of the Committee.
- House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 1333 and Rule XVIII.
- Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8646, H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892 and H.R. 8872. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8646 under a structured rule and H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892, and H.R. 8872 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1333. (consideration: CR H3838-3862; text: CR H3843-3860)
- Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1333 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8646, H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892 and H.R. 8872. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8646 under a structured rule and H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892, and H.R. 8872 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 548.
- The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-632, by Mr. Harris (MD).
- Received in the Senate.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 210 (Roll no. 205).
- Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 210 (Roll no. 205).
- On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 210 - 212 (Roll no. 204).
- The House adopted the amendments en gros as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
- Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1333 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8646, H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892 and H.R. 8872. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8646 under a structured rule and H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892, and H.R. 8872 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on each bill.
- The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-632, by Mr. Harris (MD).
Read it for yourself.
Sources & provenance
Cite this page
Civic Herald. “Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027 (H.R. 8646, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-8646. Congress.gov record as of Aug 18, 2026.