I am working to pass a strong Farm Bill with protections for America’s farmers.
Is working to pass a strong Farm Bill with protections for America's farmers.
Occurrences
Evidence
Congressman David Kustoff joined Congressman Trent Kelly to introduce the bipartisan Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024, saying that as Congress continues to debate an updated Farm Bill, the legislation would provide immediate relief to farmers and help them obtain financing for the 2025 crop year.
Kustoff and several bipartisan House members introduced the Grown in America Act of 2025, a bill to create a federal tax credit encouraging businesses to buy agricultural commodities from U.S. farmers instead of foreign markets.
The House Agriculture Committee ordered H.R. 8467 reported on May 24, 2024, after markup on May 23, 2024. The bill record shows the latest action as committee reporting, not enactment.
Section 5002 of H.R. 5371 extends programs authorized by the 2018 farm bill until the later of September 30, 2026, the date specified in the underlying provision, or the date in effect under the American Relief Act, 2025.
The House Committee on Agriculture’s farm bill page states that the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on April 30, 2026, with a final vote of 224-200.
The House Agriculture Committee homepage's Farm Bill 2026 section lists the May 28, 2026 newsletter The Field Report: What's national security got to do with it? as the newest farm-bill item, followed by a May 21, 2026 newsletter.
On Apr. 30, 2026, Roll Call 154 on H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, passed the House 224-200; David Kustoff is listed as Yea.
Roll Call 154 on H.R. 7567 shows David Kustoff (TN) voting Yea, and the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 224-200 on April 30, 2026.
The House Agriculture Committee said the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 and that Chairman Thompson looked forward to seeing Chairman Boozman and the Senate make progress so the bill could be sent to the President's desk.
The committee's Farm Bill page describes the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 as expanding producers' access to credit, promoting precision agriculture, and enhancing conservation programs, while the newsroom on the page shows the bill effort as an active committee priority rather than an enacted law.
Assessments
This promise was about actively working to pass a strong Farm Bill, not single-handedly enacting one. In office, Kustoff took concrete same-term steps consistent with that pledge: he voted for H.R. 7567 when the House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on April 30, 2026, and he also supported related bipartisan farm legislation aimed at helping farmers. The broader Farm Bill effort was still unfinished because Senate action and enactment had not occurred, but for a federal House member the relevant credit is whether he materially worked to advance the bill. On that narrower process promise, the evidence supports full delivery in the same term.
Kustoff materially advanced the farm-bill effort during his federal House term: he voted yes when H.R. 7567, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, passed the House on April 30, 2026, and he introduced or joined related farmer-assistance and domestic-agriculture bills. However, the evidence does not show that a comprehensive new Farm Bill with the promised protections was enacted into law by the as-of date; existing authorities were extended and the House Agriculture Committee continued posting farm-bill updates. This supports partial credit for concrete same-term action, not full delivery.
Kustoff took concrete federal legislative action toward the promised farm-policy goal, including introducing farmer-relief and domestic agriculture bills and participating in a House effort that advanced a farm bill through committee in 2024 and passed the House in 2026. However, the evidence does not show that a comprehensive strong Farm Bill with farmer protections was enacted into law; Congress instead extended existing farm-bill authorities. Because the promise was framed as working to pass the bill, the documented effort and House passage merit partial credit, but not full delivery absent enactment.
Kustoff took concrete legislative steps on farmer assistance and domestic agricultural markets, and the House farm bill advanced out of committee in 2024. However, the promised outcome was passage of a strong Farm Bill with protections for America's farmers, and the evidence shows Congress extended existing farm-bill authorities rather than enacting a new comprehensive farm bill. Because there was a serious legislative effort but the promised outcome was not delivered, this is best classified as never with an effort badge.