The 2026 farm bill is on its way to the House floor as soon as next week with a subtle change to the sweeping legislation's greyhound racing ban after an outcry from hunting advocates. The latest version of the bill, released by the Rules Committee last week, would axe language that would have imposed a nationwide ban on live lure training — the use of live animals such as jackrabbits as bait for racing and hunting dogs. It also drops a proposed ban on open field coursing, competitions where hounds are released to hunt down jackrabbits and hares. At the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill markup in early March, the panel approved by voice vote an amendment by Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., that would prohibit commercial greyhound racing, live lure training, open field coursing, betting on greyhound races and the trafficking of greyhounds for these purposes. The amendment is functionally identical to a bill introduced by a bipartisan group of House members last August. “I believe that we all identify that man's best friend should not be treated in a way that no livestock farmer would treat an animal," Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, a cosponsor of the legislation, said at the farm bill markup. "Greyhound racing not only is an outdated practice, it's one that simply doesn't respect the values that most Americans have held for years." Greyhound racing is illegal in 44 states and West Virginia is the only state where it is practiced commercially. The amendment’s inclusion in the farm bill was applauded by animal rights advocates, such as greyhound racing opposition group GREY2K USA Worldwide, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “This is an historic victory for the protection of greyhounds, and the result of decades of grassroots campaigning,” said Carey Theil, GREY2K executive director. “We are grateful for the leadership of these legislative champions who have given the dogs a voice.” Despite bipartisan support, the amendment drew criticism from national organizations such as the American Kennel Club and Sportsmen’s Alliance. Both groups expressed concern that the language could be stretched to apply to hunting. “The amendment goes well beyond ‘commercial’ greyhound racing — which currently only exists in one state; it also bans live lure training, use of live lures, and open field coursing events involving live animals,” the AKC said in a statement last month. "Because these terms lack clear statutory definitions, they could be interpreted in ways that affect lawful hunting activities and traditional dog training methods." 'Overly broad language' Concerns regarding hunting impacts were not raised during the committee’s discussion of the amendment, though Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., did oppose the Carbajal-Nunn amendment. Thompson cited questions about how it could impact horse racing and the Department of Agriculture’s capacity to regulate simulcast betting. After adoption of the amendment, hunting advocates took to social media and called on Congress to strip the greyhound language. The AKC asked its members to call and email their representatives “to oppose overly broad language from the Greyhound Protection Act that has been added to the farm bill.” Carbajal and Nunn then coordinated with stakeholders and the Rules Committee in order to maintain the essence of the greyhound racing ban, while assuaging hunters’ concerns. “The intent of this bipartisan bill is not to restrict hunting, but to put an end to the brutal practice of greyhound racing," Carbajal said in a statement Monday. "Greyhound racing is cruel, inhumane, and unpopular with the American public — which is why nearly every state has already voted to outlaw it." The legislative tweak proved palatable to both animal rights advocates and hunting enthusiasts. “We’re grateful for Chairman Thompson’s leadership on the farm bill, generally, and more specifically, his concerns for hunters and conservationists, and his efforts to remove the anti-hunting language from the farm bill,” said Torin Miller, associate litigation counsel at the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation. “We appreciate and support the clarification that this is a simple provision to end the cruelty of greyhound racing, which is already prohibited in 44 states." Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, similarly said he wasn't troubled by the change. "The key provision in the bill is the phase-out of gambling on greyhound racing. If there’s no greyhound racing, there’s unlikely to be any live coursing," Pacelle said. The Rules Committee has notified lawmakers it expects to meet next week to consider the terms of floor debate on the farm bill, including potential amendments. The panel has listed floor action on the farm bill as a possibility for next week, though GOP leaders will make the ultimate decision on scheduling.
