Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would create a new Office of Small Farms within the Department of Agriculture. Its main job would be to make sure small farms, ranches, and forest operations get the same level of help and resources as large industrial farms. The office would review existing rules to see if they accidentally make things harder for smaller businesses.
• To qualify for help from this office, a farm or ranch generally must be smaller than 180 acres and earn less than $350,000 in annual income. These family-owned operations often struggle to navigate the complicated paperwork required for federal aid, and this policy aims to simplify that process.
• The policy creates a new grant program that gives up to $25,000 to small farm owners. This money can be used for things like fixing equipment, upgrading buildings, paying for business planning, or even making a down payment on new land. It also helps cover financial losses that are not protected by regular insurance.
• Every state would get a dedicated Small Farms Coordinator to help local farmers apply for grants and loans. The office would also set up an anonymous hotline where farmers can report problems they face when trying to work with the government, ensuring that small-scale producers have a voice in Washington.
• If passed, the program would spend $25 million each year from 2027 through 2031. About $15 million would go toward running the office and hiring staff, while $10 million would be set aside specifically for the grants and technical training that go directly to the farmers.

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