U.S. Representative Austin Scott said on May 1 that the passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 in the House marks a significant achievement for agricultural producers and rural communities nationwide.
The legislation updates federal programs supporting agriculture and rural economies, an area with substantial economic impact in Georgia. Georgia agriculture generates a farm gate value of more than $18 billion and contributes over $100 billion in total economic output to the state economy. The sector supports more than 370,000 jobs across food and fiber production and related industries. Scott represents the eighth congressional district of Georgia, which includes significant agricultural production, according to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.
Scott issued his statement after the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act by a vote of 224 to 200. The measure now advances to the Senate for further consideration. The action follows years of work to update federal agricultural policy programs as reported in the press release on his official congressional website.
“Through House Republicans’ work on H.R. 1, we achieved the first meaningful investment in the farm safety net since 2002, we brought integrity back to our nutrition programs, and we provided relief to our farming families through tax cuts. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 builds on those accomplishments and completes the long-delayed Farm Bill process. This legislation modernizes trade and global food assistance; bolsters the future of American agriculture by improving access to farm credit; invests in broadband, child care, health care, workforce needs, and critical water infrastructure projects that strengthen our rural communities; and give them much-needed support for the years to come. This is a major win for America’s growers, ranchers, and all of rural America,” according to Scott via social media.
The American Farm Bureau Federation says the food and agriculture industry supports more than 24 million jobs across the United States, accounting for about 15 percent of total employment. The organization says the agriculture supply chain has a direct and indirect economic impact totaling $9.5 trillion.
Scott is serving his eighth term as representative for Georgia’s eighth congressional district. He serves as vice chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Previously he served in the Georgia state legislature and owned an insurance brokerage firm before entering Congress according to his official biography.
