Earlier in May, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567), which reauthorizes agricultural, food, and rural development programming for the next five years.
According to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), which released some detail on the legislation, the bill maintains key provisions on source water protection from the current Farm Bill. This includes a 10 percent earmark for conservation funding and planned improvements to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, AMWA said.
AMWA, in collaboration with the American Water Works Association (AWWA), has advocated for preserving water funds in the Farm Bill, which helps protect drinking water sources from agricultural runoff.
The legislation was approved in the House by a vote of 224 to 200. The Senate is expected to consider its own Farm Bill proposal.
AMWA said Sen. John Boozman (R-Ariz.) is expected to put a proposal before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry in the coming weeks. AMWA will continue to monitor those discussions to ensure that source water protection programs and funding are maintained.
AMWA members can take an in depth look at how the Farm Bill and federal agricultural programs can impact drinking water in AMWA’s March Water Utility Executive through its member portal. Non-members may send an email to caburian@amwa.net to access the article.
Source/s: AMWA
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