U.S. Senator Katie Britt Advances Key Funding for Alabama Farmers, Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, joined her colleagues in advancing the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act through the Senate Committee on Appropriations. The bill will now be considered by the full Senate before heading to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Senator Britt directly secured more than $6.25 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Alabama’s farmers and rural communities.

“As a daughter of the Wiregrass, I know firsthand the importance our farmers and agriculture community play in strengthening our economy and national security. Whether it’s our family farmers or rural communities, I’ll always work hard to grow opportunity in every corner of our state. I’m proud to use my role as a Senator and an appropriator to fight for our farmers and advance this funding as I continue fighting for hardworking Alabamians,” said Senator Britt.

A detailed breakdown of the funding Senator Britt advanced in the bill can be found below.

• $278,000 for the City of Slocomb to replace their 32-year-old fire tanker.
• $2.2 million for the City of Samson to remove lead pipe service lines from their public safety building.
• $1.2 million for the Heflin Fire Department to purchase a new ladder truck.
• $248,000 for the Houston County Commission to install a radio tower for signal enhancement in a remote part of the county.
• $1.684 million for the Waterworks Sewer and Gas Board of Section to make sanitary system improvements.
• $32,000 for the Winfield Fire Department to upgrade their broken radios.
• $488,000 for the Piedmont Fire Department to purchase a new fire engine.
• $113,000 for the Grand Bay Fire District to improve its volunteer fire station. 

Notably, Senator Britt successfully secured specific language in the FY 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act expressing concern with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s delays in issuing applications, including the 1890 Scholars Program applications, and directs NIFA to issue a report to the Appropriations Committee detailing expected timelines for FY26.  Additionally, Senator Britt secured critical funding for various Land Grant Institution research initiatives. This includes $21.5 million for facility improvements at 1890 institutions; $89 million for research at 1890 institutions; $30 million for education grants; $10 million for scholarships, and more.

Senator Britt also fought to fund critical programs in Alabama, including $23.9 million for the Circuit Rider Program, one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most successful public-private partnerships; $7 million for Grassroots Source Water Protection Program; $1 million for peanut genomic research; $2 million for the Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE program at the University of Alabama; and $6 million for the Institute for Rural Partnership initiative at Auburn University.

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