Food Aid, Hemp Sales Fuel Tensions Over Agriculture Money Bill

Tensions over nutrition aid funding and intoxicating hemp product sales are poised to flare after House Republicans released their annual food, drug and agriculture funding bill Wednesday.

House lawmakers are slating $25.5 billion in discretionary funding for their Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration spending bill for fiscal 2026, about 4% lower than enacted levels.

Lawmakers proposed $21.9 billion in discretionary funding for the USDA’s budget next year, a $807 million decrease from the current year, according to a GOP summary. They also matched the administration’s request of about $6.8 billion for the Food and Drug Administration in fiscal ...