Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026
Sen. Booker's Bill to Create USDA Small Farms Office With $25K Grants Under Senate Review
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill, introduced by Senator Booker, would create a new Office of Small Farms within the Department of Agriculture. It is designed to help farms and ranches that are smaller than 180 acres or earn less than $350,000 a year.
- The new office would provide grants of up to $25,000 to small farmers. This money can be used for things like buying equipment, repairing buildings, recovering from losses not covered by insurance, or making a down payment on land.
- Every state would get a dedicated 'Small Farms Coordinator.' These experts will work locally to help small-scale farmers understand and apply for government loans, grants, and conservation programs that are often hard to navigate.
- The policy sets up an anonymous hotline for farmers to report problems they face when trying to get help from the government. It also requires the office to look for rules that unfairly favor big industrial farms over smaller family operations.
- If passed, the government would spend $25 million each year from 2027 through 2031 to run the office and fund the grant programs. This ensures that small-scale growers have a permanent voice and financial support in Washington.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Small farm operations are essentially small businesses, and this bill treats them as such by offering business planning assistance, market development support, and grants for infrastructure upgrades. Rural small business owners who also operate small farms or ranches could benefit from the technical assistance and financing mechanisms the new office would develop.
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
2 articles
New Bill Would Create 'Office Of Small Farms'
The Office of Small Farms Establishment Act would create a new office within the USDA focused on ensuring small-acreage operations have equitable access to federal programs. It tasks the office with providing grants of up to $25,000 and operating a hotline for reporting access challenges.
Booker, Strickland, Adams, and McGovern Reintroduce Legislation to Support Small Farms Through USDA Office Establishment
U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Representatives Marilyn Strickland, Alma Adams, and Jim McGovern have reintroduced the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act. This legislation aims to create an Office at the USDA dedicated to supporting small farms with grants and technical assistance.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.