COWS Act of 2026

S. 5309 would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to add payments for "alternative manure management practices" as an eligible category under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a U.S. Department of Agriculture cost-share program that helps farmers and ranchers fund conservation practices. Because the bill's full legislative text has not yet been published, the specific practices covered, funding levels, and eligibility criteria are not yet known.

Based on the title, the bill would primarily affect farmers and ranchers who manage livestock manure, potentially making them eligible for federal financial assistance to adopt alternative manure management methods through EQIP. The USDA, which administers the program, would also be affected as the implementing agency. Beyond this general framing, no other effects can be confirmed until the text is released.

The bill was introduced in the Senate on August 6, 2026, by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), and its only recorded action so far is that introduction. Next, it would typically be referred to a Senate committee (commonly the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee for bills amending the Food Security Act) for review, where it could be amended, held, or advanced toward a floor vote. Most introduced bills do not become law, and further progress will depend on committee action once the full text and any committee activity become available.

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