SD Corn Growers President Calls 2026 Farm Bill Path 'Slim'

TL;DR: Trent Kubik, president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, said on August 21, 2026 that the odds of a 2026 Farm Bill passing are "still a chance," but "a slim one." He said the Senate's pre-recess markup left farmers with many unanswered questions, and the South Dakota delegation at Dakotafest emphasized a difficult path forward.

Key takeaway

South Dakota Corn Growers President Trent Kubik says a 2026 Farm Bill is still possible but calls the chance "slim" after the Senate pre-recess markup.

What happened

Trent Kubik, president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association, described the odds of a 2026 Farm Bill passing this year as "still a chance," but called that chance "slim." He made the comments in remarks reported by Brownfield Ag News on August 21, 2026.

Kubik said the Senate's pre-recess markup left farmers with many unanswered questions. The markup is the committee stage where senators debate and amend a bill's text before it can advance to the full chamber. You can follow the committee stage on our Senate status page.

Members of the South Dakota congressional delegation appeared at Dakotafest, an annual farm show in the state, and emphasized a difficult path forward for the bill. Kubik's remarks add a farm-organization voice to broader concerns about a possible lame-duck or post-election window for passage.

What it means

Kubik's comments signal that farm groups are managing expectations about the timeline, not just the substance, of the bill. When a state commodity-group president publicly calls the odds "slim," it reflects uncertainty that many producers are feeling as they plan for the next crop year.

For South Dakota corn producers and row-crop farmers more broadly, the practical concern is what the delay means for programs they rely on:

• Crop insurance and commodity support levels that shape planting and lending decisions.
• Conservation program funding and enrollment timing.
• Baseline funding that carries forward from the 2018 Farm Bill if a new bill is not enacted.

The "many unanswered questions" Kubik cited point to unresolved provisions from the markup. Producers wanting to see how the current draft compares to current law can review our whats new vs. 2018 breakdown and the funding breakdown.

The "difficult path forward" framing from the delegation matters because farm bills require agreement across both chambers and both parties. A slim path does not mean no path, but it raises the chance of a short-term extension or a lame-duck attempt rather than passage before the fall recess ends.

What's next

As of August 22, 2026, the Senate markup has occurred but the full timeline for floor action remains uncertain. Farm groups are likely watching for whether the bill moves in a lame-duck or post-election window, a scenario Kubik's remarks reference directly.

A lame-duck session is the period after an election but before newly elected members take office, when the sitting Congress can still pass legislation. If the bill does not advance before then, a short-term extension of the 2018 Farm Bill is one commonly used fallback, though no such action is confirmed here. Track dates and stages on our timeline and status page and the path to signing.

Producers who want to weigh in during this window can reach their representatives through our contact Congress page.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Trent Kubik and what did he say about the Farm Bill?

Trent Kubik is president of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. In remarks reported by Brownfield Ag News on August 21, 2026, he said there is "still a chance" the 2026 Farm Bill passes this year but called that chance "slim." He also said the Senate's pre-recess markup left farmers with many unanswered questions.

Is a 2026 Farm Bill still going to pass this year?

It remains possible but uncertain. As of August 21, 2026, South Dakota Corn Growers President Trent Kubik described the odds as "still a chance," but "a slim one." Members of the South Dakota congressional delegation emphasized a difficult path forward at Dakotafest. No final vote or passage timeline is confirmed in current reporting.

What is a Senate markup and why does it matter for the Farm Bill?

A markup is the committee stage where senators debate and amend a bill's text before it can advance to the full Senate. Kubik said the pre-recess markup left farmers with many unanswered questions, meaning some provisions producers care about were still unresolved when the committee finished its work before the recess.

What is a lame-duck session and why is it relevant here?

A lame-duck session is the period after an election but before newly elected members take office, when the sitting Congress can still pass legislation. Kubik's comments add a farm-organization voice to broader concerns that the Farm Bill could be pushed to a lame-duck or post-election window rather than passing before the fall recess ends.

What happens to farm programs if no new Farm Bill passes in 2026?

If a new Farm Bill is not enacted, baseline funding and many programs generally continue under the terms carried forward from the 2018 Farm Bill, and Congress can pass a short-term extension. No extension is confirmed in current reporting. The uncertainty affects crop insurance, commodity support, and conservation program planning for producers.

Sources

• Brownfield Ag News , South Dakota Corn Growers President says there is "still a chance" for a Farm Bill this year, "albeit a slim one," dated 2026-08-21.