WLA-championed changes advance in farm bill and USDA initiative

Support for wildlife habitat connectivity and mitigation corridors advances in the farm bill.

Western Landowners Alliance (WLA) welcomes the advancement of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 out of the House Agriculture Committee on a bipartisan 34-17 vote. Moving a Farm Bill forward is an important step toward strengthening the conservation programs that help working lands support wildlife habitat, rural economies, and the long-term viability of family ranches and farms.

WLA is particularly pleased by the inclusion of an amendment championed by Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D–N.M.), developed in collaboration with Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) and based on the Habitat Connectivity on Working Lands Act. The amendment, which was also included in the 2024 draft of the farm bill and for which WLA has long advocated, includes multiple provisions that support migration corridors and habitat connectivity, such as program flexibility. For producers across the West who steward big game habitat and migration corridors, these tools support wildlife habitat while keeping agricultural operations intact. It exemplifies how policy, incentive-based programs, and landowner collaboration can sustain working lands while supporting wildlife movement.

WLA looks forward to continued bipartisan work as the Farm Bill advances to ensure conservation programs remain effective, flexible, and accessible to the landowners who manage much of the West’s most important wildlife habitat.

USDA Launches ‘One Farmer, One File’ Initiative to Better Support Farmers

WLA also applauds USDA’s launch of the “One Farmer, One File” initiative, an important step toward making it easier and simpler for producers to interact with federal programs. Ranchers and farmers often work with multiple USDA agencies, including FSA, NRCS, and RMA, each with its own systems and paperwork.

WLA has long advocated for a one-stop-shop approach to applying for federal programs. Creating a single, streamlined record within USDA that follows the producer will help reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and allow landowners to spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time stewarding their land and producing food.

WLA looks forward to continued progress on this modernization effort and to working with USDA to ensure these improvements translate into real efficiencies for producers on the ground.