Both the House and Senate versions of the 2026 Farm Bill include provisions that would freeze the administrative and operating (A&O) expense reimbursement rates for crop insurance agents, House §11009 and Senate §11008, respectively. The provisions set out that the 2026 reimbursement rate will apply to policies written in subsequent years, meaning the rate will not be adjusted for inflation.

The House of Representatives passed its Farm Bill in April in a largely party-line vote, with just a handful of Democrats joining Republicans to pass the legislation. The process has been more complicated in the Senate. Before departing for the August recess, the Senate Committee on Agriculture held a markup, which if successful would have sent the Farm Bill to the Senate floor for final passage. The committee, however, was unable to advance the bill. When the Senate returns from August recess, it will have just twelve legislative days to advance the bill out of committee, pass the full Senate, and work out differences with the House-passed version before Farm Bill programs expire on September 30th. That narrow timeline, paired with the uncertainty of getting to sixty votes in the Senate, could set up the potential for another clean, year-long Farm Bill extension.

For nearly a decade, PIA led the way in advocating for the reinstatement of an annual A&O inflation adjustment, efforts which culminated in a significant win for crop agents in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill. PIA will continue to advocate on behalf of all independent insurance agents and ensure that crop agents are compensated fairly so they can continue their vital work protecting America’s farmers.