9 Provisions in the 2026 Farm Bill that Benefit San Angelo Ag Producers

SAN ANGELO, TX — When the U.S. House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on April 30, West Texas agriculture scored a major victory — and some of the credit belongs right here in the Concho Valley.

San Angelo LIVE! spoke with Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX-11) about the bill’s impact on local producers. Pfluger successfully advanced nine of his submitted farm bill priorities — five accomplished through last year’s Working Families Tax Cuts (the Big Beautiful Bill) and four in the 2026 Farm Bill itself. These provisions tackle the toughest challenges facing San Angelo-area producers: crippling drought, exploding feral hog populations, invasive pests from the south, outdated safety-net prices, and red tape that squeezes profitability.

“This Farm Bill was not written in the halls of Congress, but in the fields and rural communities across our great nation,” House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) said in a post celebrating passage.

Pfluger’s predecessor, Rep. Mike Conaway, chaired the House Agriculture Committee for the 2018 Farm Bill. Because Pfluger’s portfolio in Congress focuses heavily on national security, he had to intentionally engage with the Ag Committee to deliver results for his constituents. Here’s how he made sure West Texas was included.

Bringing the Chairman to San Angelo

Last February, Pfluger hosted Chairman Thompson for a boots-on-the-ground tour of San Angelo. They walked Producers Livestock Auction, visited Lone Star Beef, and sat down with cotton growers, ranchers, and leaders from the Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers.

Pfluger showed Thompson “everything that we’re doing in West Texas” — the real-world struggles of low herd sizes, drought-ravaged pastures, and invasive species battles. Those conversations turned into concrete policy.

“My constituents sent me to DC to pass a farm bill and stand up for West Texas,” Pfluger told San Angelo LIVE!. “Promises made, promises kept — because this is done for national security.”

The 9 Provisions That Will Benefit Local Producers

Here’s how Pfluger’s priorities will deliver real relief for San Angelo-area agriculture:

• Increased Reference Prices for Seed Cotton — Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference prices for seed cotton — unchanged since 2018 — have now been updated. With today’s high input costs, this adjustment provides critical relief so farmers and ranchers can still turn a profit.
• Permanent Feral Swine Eradication Program — Funded at $150 million a year through 2031. Feral hogs devastate crops, fences, and young livestock across the Concho Valley. Making the program permanent gives producers a long-term weapon against this costly invasive species.
• Streamlined Disaster Insurance and Assistance — Faster payouts, advance payments, and simpler rules for drought, floods, and other emergencies that routinely hammer West Texas.
• Stronger Drought and Groundwater Tools — Expanded Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding with 90% cost-share for precision agriculture and water conservation. These changes recognize dangerously low cattle, sheep, and goat herd sizes and help new and returning producers rebuild.
• Funded the Pima Cotton and Wool Trust Funds — Full funding and access for these critical programs, delivering a direct boost to local cotton producers and sheep operations.
• New World Screwworm Defenses — The bill strengthens preparedness against this devastating pest moving north from Central America through Mexico. Pfluger pushed USDA and FDA action on targeted drugs and sterile-fly facilities (with $1.5 billion already invested). “Mexico should have done it some time ago,” he noted. “Joe Biden didn’t hold their feet to the fire. Trump is sticking up for farmers and ranchers.”
• 100% Livestock Indemnity for Protected Species Kills — When federally protected animals (such as black vultures or caracaras) kill cattle, sheep, or goats, producers now receive full market-value reimbursement.
• Major Anti-Fraud Crackdown — Tougher oversight to root out waste so tax dollars actually reach working producers instead of disappearing.
• Entrepreneurial Focus for the Next Generation — With fewer than 2% of Americans now in farming and ranching, the bill streamlines programs, cuts bureaucracy, and makes support easier and less expensive to access — helping young producers and returning operators regrow herds and keep West Texas land productive.

Why These Provisions Matter for National Security — and Your Backyard

Pfluger frames these wins as more than just farm policy.

“Invasive species like feral swine and the potential arrival of New World Screwworm are national security issues,” he said. “They burrow in, kill young animals quick, and threaten our food supply chain right here in Texas.”

By delivering these nine provisions, Pfluger said he kept his promises to Concho Valley families who rely on cattle auctions in San Angelo, cotton fields stretching toward Eden, and sheep operations across the region.

Where the Farm Bill Stands Today (as of May 8, 2026)

The bill has cleared the House but still needs Senate approval to become law. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) is targeting a committee markup in late May or early June 2026 (after the Memorial Day recess). Because the Senate requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, the final version will likely involve bipartisan negotiations and possible changes before it can return to the House for reconciliation and head to the President’s desk. The current 2018 Farm Bill extension runs through September 30, 2026.