Livestock, Lettuce, and Legislative Promises

Today’s stop in our overview of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act? Livestock and specialty crops—two major players here in the Southeast. Again, this is all according to a Market Intel breakdown from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

For livestock producers, the bill could mean support for expanding meat processing capacity—helping reduce bottlenecks, especially in rural areas. There's also attention to animal health systems, including surveillance and disease prevention efforts that protect both food safety and market access.

For specialty crop growers—think fruits, vegetables, and nuts—the bill aims to improve market access, research funding, and crop protection. These crops often fall outside traditional farm program coverage, so additional support here is a welcome shift for many diversified producers.

It’s not set in stone yet, but it does signal where Congress is looking to build out more inclusive support across ag sectors.

That’s day three of our four-day rundown. Tomorrow we wrap up with rural development and nutrition. And if you want the full scoop from the American Farm Bureau, you can find it anytime at fb.org.