Mike Flood

Congressman Flood: ‘House-Passage of Year-Round E-15 Supports Farmers, Families, and Rural America'

Position: Congressman Flood supports H.R. 1346, which lifts restrictions on nationwide sale of E-15 fuel, stating it will lower pump costs, expand domestic markets for corn producers, and benefit farmers and rural communities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following house-passage of H.R. 1346, also known as the “Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.” Congressman Flood is a cosponsor of the legislation, which lifts restrictions on the sale of 10 to 15 percent ethanol nationwide. “For years, corn growers, working families, and President Trump have pushed for E15 to compete fairly as a nationwide fuel option,” said Congressman Flood. “Today, the House finally took action and passed this commonsense answer to lower costs at the pump and expand domestic markets for our producers. Nationwide sale of E-15 supports farmers, families, and rural America and is set to be a boon for Nebraska. I look forward to Senate passage and President Trump’s signature so families can finally have more choice and support our farmers at the pump.” Congressman Flood delivered remarks ahead of votes, which can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcomed to use the recordings for their reporting purposes. Text of the legislation can be found here. Issues:What Rep. Flood is doing in CongressWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow American agriculture and energyWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow America’s economy

Congressman Flood Co-Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Establish Transparent Labeling of Fake Meat

Position: The release advocates for federal legislation requiring clear labeling of plant-based and cell-cultivated meat products to distinguish them from conventional meat, framed as protecting consumers from deceptive marketing and supporting traditional livestock farmers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (NE-01) joined Congressmen Mark Alford (MO-04) and Buddy Carter (GA-01) along with Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and John Fetterman (D-PA) in introducing the "Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act," also known as the "FAIR Labels Act." The bill formalizes the labeling of plant-based and cell-cultivated (lab-grown) protein products so consumers can have accurate information when making purchasing decisions. “Nebraska is the Beef State and raising livestock has long been part of Nebraska’s identity,” said Congressman Flood (NE-01). “Families deserve to know exactly what they are putting on their tables, not to be confused by deceptive labeling and marketing tricks. Meanwhile, our farmers and ranchers continue to be undercut by the fake meat industry’s labeling. Thank you to Congressman Alford for his leadership in introducing this commonsense bill, which will finally bring about honest labeling of fake meat products and better inform consumers when making choices at the grocery store.” "American families deserve to know exactly what they’re eating,” said Congressman Alford (MO-04). “Real meat from hardworking ranchers should be clearly labeled, not hidden behind misleading plant-based or lab-grown alternatives. Our farmers and ranchers work from dawn to dusk raising nutritious meat. They deserve a fair playing field. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the FAIR Labels Act of 2026. Missouri led the nation on honest labeling. Now we’re taking that fight to Washington.” "The FAIR Labels Act ensures that Americans know what they are purchasing and feeding to themselves and their families. This is about transparency and consistency," said Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01). "Plant-based and lab-grown meat needs to be clearly labeled so consumers can make informed decisions at the grocery store.” “Deceptive labeling of plant-based protein products hurts American farmers and ranchers. It also degrades consumer trust,” said Senator Ricketts (R-NE). “By enhancing oversight and enforcing stricter labeling regulations, we can protect Nebraska beef. The FAIR Labels Act is common-sense: Americans should know exactly what they’re putting in their grocery cart.” "The hardworking farmers in Pennsylvania and across our country that feed all of us with real ingredients have to unfairly compete with misleading labels of alternative meats," said Senator Fetterman (D-PA). "Folks can be in the pro-bio slop caucus, but I’m in the pro-ribeye one. I'm proud to support the FAIR Labels Act to protect our farmers and all consumers who buy their great products." The "Fair Labels Act" establishes definitions for “Cell-Cultivated” and “Plant-Based Alternative” protein products, with oversight and inspection standards being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The labels themselves will have a clear disclaimer if the product does not contain meat or poultry, along with terms like “cell-cultivated,” “plant-based,” or other similar descriptors being used. Full text of the bill can be found here. Issues:What Rep. Flood is doing in CongressWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow American agriculture and energyWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow America’s economy

Congressman Flood Celebrates Farm Bill’s House Passage: 'The Farm Bill Not Only Modernizes Key Ag Programs, it Also Invests in the Future of Our Ag Economy’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (NE-01) issued a statement following House passage of H.R. 7567, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act,” also known as the “Farm Bill.” “It has been nearly eight years since the last time a new Farm Bill framework was passed. This new Farm Bill framework not only modernizes key ag programs to better serve our farmers and ranchers today, but it also invests in the future of our agricultural economy. Importantly, the 2026 Farm Bill supports ag research while protecting and expanding key programs such as crop insurance, market access and USDA Rural Development. The legislation includes investments in rural broadband; expanded rural healthcare and rural childcare access; support for new, young, beginning, and veteran farmers transitioning to farming; incentives for innovation and technology, including investments in precision agriculture; and more. I look forward to this much-needed framework moving to the Senate and ultimately reaching President Trump’s desk,” said Congressman Flood. Ten of Congressman Flood’s–supported bills, including ones he signed on as a cosponsor or co-lead, were included in the 2026 Farm Bill: H.R. 575 (Baird, R-IN) – Increased TSP Access Act of 2023 – original cosponsor H.R. 1207 (Mann, R-KS) – To Transfer the Authorities of the Food for Peace Act from the U.S. Agency for International Development to the Department of Agriculture – cosponsor H.R. 5459 (Flood, R-NE) – Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act – sponsor H.R. 5468 (T. Kelly, R-MS) – Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2025 – cosponsor H.R. 5854 (Neguse, D-CO) – Sustainable Agriculture Research Act – co-lead H.R. 4764 (Miller-Meeks, R-IA) – Biochar Research Network Act of 2025 – sponsor H.R. 1719 (Miller, R-OH) – Farm to Fly Act of 2025 – co-lead H.R. 4832 (Alford, R-MO) – Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act of 2025 – cosponsor H.R 4673 (Hinson, R-IA) – Save Our Bacon Act – original cosponsor H.R. 1995 (Hinson, R-IA) – Securing American Agriculture Act – cosponsor Many of Congressman Flood’s legislative items included in the Farm Bill were informed by countless visits, discussions and roundtables he held with farmers and ranchers across Nebraska. A detailed, section-by-section of the legislation can be found here.

Congressmen Flood and Neguse Re-Introduce Bill Supporting Precision Ag Research

Position: The release expresses support for federal investment in precision agriculture workforce training and development programs through USDA funding and research priorities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE) and Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) re-introduced the “Precision Agriculture Workforce Training and Development Act.” This bipartisan legislation encourages the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to invest in hands-on, precision agriculture programs for students. “Nebraska continues to be at the forefront of precision ag research,” said Congressman Flood. “As universities and colleges expand these programs, the USDA should be there to support this growing field. Thank you to Rep. Neguse for joining this effort to modernize our ag economy and better train the next generation of farmers and ranchers nationwide.” The Precision Ag Workforce Development Act will add “Precision Agriculture Workforce Development” to the USDA’s high priority research areas. Additionally, the bill provides special consideration for institutions that offer cooperative education programs under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). The full text of the bill can be found here. Issues:What Rep. Flood is doing in CongressWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow American agriculture and energyWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow America’s economy

Congressman Flood Highlights USDA’s Precision Ag Research Center at UNL to Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood testified before the House Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Congressman Flood’s testimony emphasized the work and progress of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) at the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture. Video of the testimony can be found here while text of Congressman Flood’s remarks is provided below. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Bishop. Thank you for the opportunity to share some updates about an important project that this subcommittee has been very good to over the course of my tenure. It was originally introduced by my predecessor, Congressman Fortenberry. Specifically, I'd like to call your attention to this project: It's the USDA Research National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture. It’s located on the Innovation Campus at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and it will anchor a national network comprised of ARS research units and land grant universities committed to addressing one of the most critical science gaps to advancing innovation in American agriculture. This committee has been really good to this project over the years. We are still working to land this. I am requesting $16 million as my top priority CPF request for FY27. As we approach the final years of the required construction funding, we must keep up the momentum to secure significant construction funds in FY27. Congress appropriated $11.2 for initial planning back in FY21, then $20 million in FY22, $25 million in FY24, and most recently $16 million in FY26, all for the construction of this facility. This is also the top priority for U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, who's an appropriator in the 'upper chamber.' USDA broke ground in the first phase of construction in May 2024. This includes a 15,000 square foot greenhouse and a 10,000 square foot headhouse space connecting with the existing UNL greenhouse innovation center. The second phase of construction, which will begin when Congress appropriates all funds, will go towards constructing laboratories and office space on the Innovation Campus. During the groundbreaking in May 2024, USDA leadership, members of the congressional delegation, university leaders, stakeholders, and producers across the state and region were there to support this new facility. Last June, I had the pleasure of hosting Chairman [Tom] Cole in Lincoln to share firsthand the transformative vision guiding this project. Last month, the ARS Administrator visited the University of Nebraska to observe firsthand the significant potential of this facility and its research for advancing agriculture across the country. Precision Ag is a key piece of our agricultural fabric. It makes sense that this project is in the Cornhusker State. You might know this already, but we have the largest freshwater underground aquafer in North America. It's basically our secret weapon, and we since 1955 have gone out of our way to manage that resource. So, we have a history in precision agriculture. This project helps us further that cause. It's home to The Combine, the Heartland Robotics Cluster, which supports small businesses and spin-offs from ag research. These small businesses are driving student entrepreneur interest in precision ag in Nebraska. I think you're well aware of the project. It is making a difference. The greenhouse is under construction right now. We are well on our way to finishing this project. We have a couple of more years to go, but as we have gone along, you should know the state legislature has also put $30 million into this project. And this will not just serve Nebraska. It will serve everyone in America. With that, I yield back. Issues:What Rep. Flood is doing in CongressWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow American agriculture and energyWhat Rep. Flood is doing to grow America’s economy