The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 mandates aggressive national goals to achieve net-zero agricultural emissions by 2040 through sweeping changes in research funding, soil management, livestock practices, and conservation programs.
Chellie Pingree
Representative
ME-1
The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 establishes aggressive national goals for the agricultural sector to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, mandating rapid changes in farming practices, research funding, and land management. It significantly reforms federal conservation and insurance programs to prioritize soil health, climate adaptation, and the development of resilient food systems. The bill also boosts support for on-farm renewable energy, strengthens local food infrastructure, and standardizes food labeling to reduce waste. Overall, it directs substantial federal resources toward transforming agriculture to meet ambitious climate targets while supporting farmers through new incentives and research.
New Farm Bill Mandates Net-Zero Emissions by 2040, Triples Research Funding, and Standardizes 'Use By' Labels
The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 is not your standard farm bill tweak; it’s a massive overhaul aimed at turning the U.S. agricultural sector into a powerhouse for fighting climate change. Think of it as a hard reset button for how we grow food, manage land, and deal with waste.
This bill sets incredibly aggressive national goals (SEC. 101): the entire sector must cut net greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and hit net-zero emissions by 2040. To back this up, the bill mandates that federal spending on agricultural research must triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040 compared to 2023 levels. This isn’t just pocket change; it’s billions poured into finding ways to farm smarter, not harder. This means if you work in ag-tech or environmental science, your industry is about to get a massive cash injection.
The Soil Health Mandate: Your Crop Insurance Gets a Discount
For farmers and ranchers, the biggest changes are coming through the conservation programs. The bill restructures the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to explicitly prioritize soil health, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation (SEC. 302, SEC. 303). If you’re a producer, this means the money is now flowing toward practices that keep the soil covered and healthy year-round, like cover crops and advanced rotational grazing.
Crucially, starting in 2026, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) can now offer premium discounts to farmers who adopt practices deemed to reduce risk, such as using cover crops or specific agroforestry systems (SEC. 301). This is a direct financial incentive to switch to climate-friendly methods. The bill also dedicates 30% of conservation funds to assist beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, recognizing that switching practices takes time and capital (SEC. 305).
Livestock and Land Use: New Rules for Ranchers and Developers
If you’re a rancher, the bill is pushing hard for pasture-based systems. It sets targets to implement advanced grazing management on 100% of grazing land by 2040 (SEC. 101) and creates a new Alternative Manure Management Program (SEC. 505) with $1.5 billion in funding to help producers move away from high-emission manure lagoons. In fact, the bill immediately bans the construction or expansion of waste lagoons at confined animal feeding operations.
For consumers, a major change is coming to the meat aisle. The bill mandates the Secretary of Agriculture establish mandatory standards for all “animal raising claims”—think “grass-fed” or “antibiotic-free”—within two years, complete with third-party verification and auditing (SEC. 501). This means less confusion and more truth in labeling on your chicken or steak package.
On the land front, the bill aims to completely stop the conversion of agricultural land to development by 2040 (SEC. 101). It also gives the Secretary significant power to define and map “Farmland of national significance,” which federal projects generally cannot convert (SEC. 403). This is a big win for land preservation but concentrates significant land-use authority within the USDA.
From Farm to Fridge: Ending Food Waste and Confusion
Finally, the bill takes aim at the staggering amount of food wasted due to confusing date labels. This is the part that affects everyone who buys groceries.
The bill standardizes food date labeling nationwide (SEC. 702). If a manufacturer puts a date for quality, it must be preceded by “BEST If Used By.” If the date indicates when the food is no longer safe to eat, it must be preceded by “USE By.” No more “Sell By,” “Best Before,” or other confusing phrases that lead to perfectly good food being tossed. This simple change is expected to drastically cut down on household food waste.
To handle the food that truly can’t be eaten, the bill funds grants for large-scale composting and anaerobic digestion projects (SEC. 713) and even requires federal contractors (like those serving food at government facilities) to donate all excess, wholesome food instead of throwing it away (SEC. 712). Composting is also officially recognized as a conservation practice eligible for federal funding (SEC. 711).