Sen. Budd and Sen. Schiff Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Bring AI to American Farms
The FARM AI Act of 2026 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for review. The bill is actively moving as it waits for the committee to discuss and vote on the proposal.
The bill has strong bipartisan support from both parties and covers a popular topic. However, many agricultural bills are only passed as part of a much larger package every few years.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Small agricultural businesses and agribusinesses would benefit from new technical assistance, training, and outreach programs to help them adopt AI technologies. The bill specifically creates support channels for small farm enterprises that may lack the resources to explore AI tools on their own.
“rural communities, agribusinesses, farmers, and the food supply chain benefit from technical assistance, education, and outreach to adopt artificial intelligence technologies”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the FARM AI Act to direct the USDA to promote artificial intelligence and help small and medium-sized producers adopt AI systems. The bill requires the USDA to designate AI as a priority research area and appoint an Artificial Intelligence Agriculture Advisor.
The bill would make AI research eligible for USDA grants and a priority for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority. It also includes AI use education for farmers through the USDA's Cooperative Extension System and creates an 'AI in Ag' advisor position.
The legislation aims to invest in agricultural workforce development and expand access to AI in farming. While supporters praise the framework, some analysts suggest that peeling back regulations might be more effective than government-directed research for technology adoption.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
FARM AI Act of 2026
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