U.S. House of Representatives Passes Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026
On April 30th, 2026, the United States House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by a vote of 224- 200. The passage came after a vote out of committee occurred on March 5th, and a lengthy review in the House Rules Committee and debate on the floor of the U.S. House.
Included in the bill were multiple provisions that will benefit the pecan industry:

• Expanding eligibility for the Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
• Adding pecans and other tree nuts as eligible products under the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
• Reforms to specialty crop risk management programs

U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations includes increased funding for Pecan Research Projects
On April 22, 2026, the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, And Related Agencies Subcommittee released the 2027 Appropriation Bill report. Included in the report was a $250,000 funding increase for two pecan Agricultural Research Service (ARS) projects, bringing total fiscal year 2027 funding for both projects to $5,250,000.
Pecan processing research was appropriated a continuation of funding to further the ARS work being done in cooperation with The University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Science and College of Engineer along with Fort Valley State University College of Agriculture to improve cracking/ shelling technologies and pasteurization methods.
The USDA ARS pecan genetics research project is housed at ARS stations in Byron GA, and Brownwood TX. This project’s focus is to develop new breeds of pecans, and it has been very successful with the introduction of multiple new breeds.
In 2020, the National Pecan Federation, growers and shellers, submitted the appropriation requests to congressional appropriators to begin funding for these projects. In the past 5 years, Congress has approved $22.5 million for each project.

U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriation includes language for ARS Report on Pecan Production
Included in the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, And Related Agencies Subcommittee Report was language directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) to conduct research into difficulties facing pecan growers and to report back to the committee on what research backed tools and innovations pecan growers need to be successful.

The National Pecan Federation Supports Representative Austin Scott’s USMCA Review Letter to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer
U.S. House of House of Representative Member Austin Scott from Georgia’s 8th district, along with 78 of his colleagues have signed and sent a bipartisan letter to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer calling his attention to the amount of specialty crop imports entering the United States from Mexico. The National Pecan Federation along with the Georgia Pecan Growers Association, Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association and Texas Pecan Growers Association are listed as supporting organization of the letter.

Applications Open for U.S. Department of Agriculture Led Agribusiness Mission to Expand U.S. Exports Abroad
The U.S. Department of Agriculture opened applications on May 4, 2026, for an agribusiness trade mission to Australia taking place from August 30 to September 3. Organized by the Foreign Agricultural Service, the mission is designed to help U.S. producers expand exports to Australia, New Zealand, and nearby Pacific Island markets.
Participants will have opportunities to meet buyers, attend networking events, and gain market insights, especially since the trip coincides with the Fine Food Australia trade show. With strong demand for U.S. consumer-ready products like packaged foods, meat, and beverages, USDA sees this region as a growing export market with significant potential for U.S. agribusinesses.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Agriculture Marketing Service Section 32 Purchase Awarded Contracts
On April 17th the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service announced the awarded contracts for the Section 32 solicitation announced in February by Secretary Brooke Rollins.
A total of $9,955,723.56 of American pecans were purchased by USDA and will be distributed to food nutrition assistance programs throughout the United States.