Round 31 of the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement and Control Program awarded about $25 million from the Environmental Protection Fund and the Environmental Bond Act. The largest regional shares went to Central New York and the Finger Lakes.
FSA opened 2026 ARC and PLC enrollment from September 16 to December 11, 2026, and 2027 enrollment from November 2, 2026 to March 15, 2027. More than 30 million new base acres are being added. Producers who miss the December 11 deadline keep their 2025 election and get no 2026 payments.
More than 457,000 veterans with active Veterans’ Group Life Insurance policies will not have to pay premiums for November 2026 through January 2027. No action is needed. Veterans who paid ahead can get a credit or a refund.
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee advanced its farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2026, to the full Senate. The House passed its version, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, in April.
USDA said mandatory dairy checkoff assessments will no longer fund environmental, social, and governance (ESG) work, including projects of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. It also told AMS to stop ESG-focused spending across all commodity checkoff programs.
Ag and Markets released updated draft eligibility guidelines for funding the Climate Resilient Farming program through the 2022 Environmental Bond Act. Written comments are due by 5 p.m. on October 16, 2026.
The LAND Project, run by the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust for the state, offers grants of up to $50,000 for farm startup or expansion, equipment, livestock, buildings, and marketing. Applications are accepted September 23 through November 30, 2026.
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing on five nominations: a chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and four judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
SBA declared a disaster for Columbia and Rensselaer counties, with neighboring Albany, Dutchess, Greene, Saratoga, Ulster, and Washington counties also eligible. Economic injury loans are open to businesses and small agricultural cooperatives. Physical damage applications are due November 23, 2026, and economic injury applications are due June 24, 2027.
