Why it Matters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs rural broadband, water, housing and community facilities programs. The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development will hold "Strengthening Rural America Through USDA Rural Development Programs and Partnerships" on Nov. 19.
The hearing notice lists Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) as Chair and Rep. Don Davis (D-NC) as Ranking Member.
Broader Context
Live Oak Banking Co. reported lobbying across three 2026 quarters, citing "Issues related to USDA Rural Development reorganization," in a third quarter filing and earlier ones.
Three rural clients also list a USDA Community Facilities earmark in H.R. 8646, the fiscal 2027 agriculture appropriations bill: Richardson Medical Center, Carbon County, Wyo. and Island County, Wash., each through Merchant McIntyre & Associates LLC. The Richardson filing ties the earmark to the bill.
Other filers name Rural Development programs directly:
- National Rural Water Association: citing S.783, the Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025, which modifies USDA Rural Utilities Service water and wastewater programs.
- Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas: listing USDA rural development, conservation and commodities programs.
- Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc.: listing USDA Rural Electric programs.
On the executive side, USDA announced a $17 million ReConnect grant to Warm Springs Telecom for rural broadband in Oregon on Nov. 6, according to a USDA release. A Nov. 2 press release from Morgan Griffith, a Virginia Republican, announced a USDA Rural Development grant of more than $2.4 million for Dickenson County broadband.
A Congressional Research Service report on fiscal 2027 Rural Development appropriations puts Rural Utilities Service water and waste disposal funding at $478.5 million in fiscal 2025 and $445.9 million in fiscal 2026.
The Bottom Line
H.R. 8646, the fiscal 2027 agriculture appropriations bill, funds USDA Rural Development, and three clients listed its Community Facilities earmark in second quarter filings. Live Oak Banking Co. separately lists a USDA Rural Development reorganization as a lobbying issue.
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