It’s Time to Act: Animal Rights Agenda Appears in Revisions to 2026 Farm Bill

It’s Time to Act: Animal Rights Agenda Appears in Revisions to 2026 Farm Bill

The U.S. House is set to vote on a marked-up version of the Federal “Farm Bill” (HR 7567 – the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026) later this month or in early May. As introduced, the bill contained some excellent and extremely important wins for dog enthusiasts. But in last month’s bill markup, two harmful changes pushed by animal rights/anti-breeder extremists were added to the otherwise positive measure.

The changes:

1. Threaten the future of AKC Performance events and recognized hunt training techniques by eliminating or banning standard training and event practices for certain Field Trials, Performance events, lawful hunting with dogs, and other widely accepted training methods used by responsible dog owners and handlers.
2. Potentially place dogs at risk by removing requirements that improve USDA’s response related to any dogs found in a state of “unrelieved suffering” by requiring better and more timely notification of state and local authorities if an inspector finds that dogs are being kept in unacceptable conditions.

Now is the time for all dog enthusiasts and concerned citizens to contact their members of Congress and share concerns about these changes.

Here’s what you need to know:

• All dog enthusiasts should contact their member of Congress now to share their concerns about attempts to restrict dog sports and undermine responsible breeding practices. For our Representatives to act while there is still time, they need to know their constituents want them to take action.

Please ask your Representative to:

• Remove or amend language derived from the so-called “Greyhound Protection Act” (HR 5017) added at the Farm Bill markup that threatens AKC Performance and Companion events and other sporting and hunting activities by banning/eliminating the use of lures and certain training techniques; and
• Restore language in the bill’s base text related to notification of state and local authorities when USDA inspectors find dogs in a state of “unrelieved suffering.”
• Make no mistake: Overall, the Farm Bill is a positive measure, and it’s considered “must-pass” legislation. Dog enthusiasts should not oppose the Farm Bill. Rather, they should ask for the two specific changes listed above.
• Contacting lawmakers is easy! Send a note to your lawmaker in several clicks, using AKC GR’s March 31, 2026 legislative alert, located at: www.akcgr.org (https://www.akc.org/legislative-alerts/u-s-congress-amendment-to-farm-bill-could-threaten-akc-events-hunt-training/, or see the alert below.

The irony of the changes to the dog-related provisions of the Farm Bill are not lost on responsible dog breeders and enthusiasts. With both these changes, the animal rights/ “protection” groups that claim to seek the well-being of dogs accomplish the exact opposite of their stated intent. They undermine the activities and reputations of the responsible dog breeders and enthusiasts who devote their lives to their dogs and their breeds—and do nothing to improve the well-being of dogs.

Banning or eliminating certain sporting, hunting, or lure-based activities undermines the opportunity for dogs (and their owners) to participate in sports that celebrate the innate characteristics often developed over centuries in a breed, and provide an outlet for dogs to express natural canine behaviors. Breed enthusiasts know there are few thrills greater than seeing the joy a dog expresses when given the opportunity to participate in the activity for which its breed was developed, or an activity—such as hunting and chasing—that (celebrates/recognizes) their innate instincts.

Similarly, removing a requirement for USDA kennel inspectors to provide better and more timely notification to local and state authorities with jurisdiction over negligence and cruelty matters when dogs are found to be “in a state of unrelieved suffering” (a term that is well-defined in existing regulations) cannot possibly serve the well-being of animals. Such situations do not improve with time, and the care of animals should never be compromised for a fundraising pitch, photo shoot, or opportunity to advance a political agenda.

It’s time to call out animal extremists on their agenda that undermines responsible dog ownership, even as they cloak themselves in false moral superiority.

Please contact your lawmakers today, and ask them to stand up for responsible dog ownership and dog events.

BACKGROUND (AKC ALERT)

March 31, 2026

U.S. Congress: Amendment to Farm Bill Could Threaten AKC Events & Hunt Training

An amendment to the House Farm Bill (HR 7567) proposed by animal rights groups threatens the future of AKC Performance events and recognized hunt training techniques.

Please join AKC and leading sportsmen, organizations in defending responsible dog enthusiasts, sportsmen, and trainers. Please contact your member of the U.S. Congress and respectfully ask Congress to remove language derived from the “Greyhound Protection Act of 2025” (HR 5017) from the Farm Bill before final passage.

Why This Matters

While the stated intent of the Greyhound Protection Act is to address concerns related to commercial Greyhound racing, the provision attached to the Farm Bill is overly broad and risks eliminating or banning standard training and event practices for certain Field Trials, Performance events, lawful hunting with dogs, and other widely accepted training methods used by responsible dog owners and handlers.

In fact, 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 involvinglive animals.

Because these terms lack clear statutory definitions, they could be interpreted in ways that affect lawful hunting activities and traditional dog training methods. For example, controlled exposure to live birds, or other game animals, is a widely accepted and essential component of preserving unique breed characteristics and training bird dogs, retrievers, hounds, and other working dogs. Dog trainers and hunters commonly use farm-raised birds such as pigeons, ducks, or pheasants to teach scent recognition, steadiness, retrieval skills, and humane handling of game. These practices help ensure that hunting dogs perform their work effectively and minimize harm to wildlife during hunts.

Without clear exemptions, prohibiting the use of live animals in canine events that showcase breed characteristics, responsible hunting, or dog training could effectively eliminate long-standing, responsible training methods.

These restrictions could easily be interpreted or amended to severely impact or eliminate:

• Field Trials,
• Hunt Tests,
• Earthdog competition,
• Barn Hunt,
• Nite Hunts, and
• Other organized dog sports/events that are conducted under carefully controlled conditions.

It could also easily be interpreted or amended to impact other popular and responsible running/racing events that do not use live lures, including:

• Lure Coursing,
• Coursing Ability Tests (CAT); or
• Fast CAT events.

You Can Make a Meaningful Impact

To send a message directly to your member of Congress, visit: https://www.akcgr.org/campaign/159667/

Tell them:

• You are a voting constituent (including city/town you live in) and a responsible dog enthusiast.
• Respectfully ask them to oppose overly broad language from the Greyhound Protection Act (HR 5017) that has been added to the Farm Bill.
• Explain that it does nothing to improve the well-being of dogs, and as written could ban or lead to bans on responsible dog training practices that are essential to developing well trained working and performance dogs, as well as popular responsible dog events in the community. Share your positive experiences with these events, if appropriate.
• Note that the Farm Bill is one of the most important and broadly supported pieces of legislation considered by Congress. It should not become the vehicle for language that disrupts lawful hunting traditions, events that showcase breed characteristics, responsible dog ownership, and established canine training practices nationwide.