Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7562
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T08:07:10Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
This bill, titled the "Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026," aims to create a dedicated office within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to better support small farms, ranches, and forest operations. It seeks to improve access to USDA programs, address barriers for these operations, and promote their participation in federal agricultural initiatives.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- A "small farm, ranch, or forest operation" is defined as one with less than 180 acres (or a state- or region-specific acreage threshold set by the USDA Secretary) and annual gross cash farm income under $350,000.
- "State office" refers to offices of key USDA agencies like the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, rural development programs, or Risk Management Agency regional offices.
- Establishment of the Office:
- Creates the Office of Small Farms within the USDA's Farm Production and Conservation mission area.
- Appoints a Director (who can be a senior official in that mission area) to lead the office.
- Duties of the Office and Director:
- Coordinate support for small operations across USDA agencies.
- Review and recommend changes to programs, policies, and rules that hinder small operations' participation.
- Develop new initiatives, such as financing and technical help for production, conservation, business planning, and land access.
- Recommend ways to track data on small operations, including demographics and program use.
- Propose research topics relevant to small operations.
- Provide or arrange technical assistance to help access USDA grants, loans, and programs; implement activities; and support farmland preservation (e.g., planning for farm succession).
- Administer grants up to $25,000 for small operators to cover equipment repairs, uninsured losses, business planning, conservation practices, land down payments, or other needs (directly or via partnerships).
- Operate an anonymous hotline for reporting access issues with USDA programs.
- Collaborate with other federal and state agencies to reach small operations.
- Approve state-level plans for improving program delivery.
- Liaisons:
- Requires leaders of major USDA agencies (e.g., Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, and others like the National Institute of Food and Agriculture) to appoint liaisons.
- Liaisons will develop outreach strategies, educate on small operations, and coordinate within their agencies.
- State Small Farms Coordinators:
- Designates one coordinator per state from existing state office employees (who must know small operation issues and can coordinate across agencies; this role can overlap with beginning farmer coordinators).
- Provides training on USDA programs tailored to various production methods.
- Coordinators' duties include: delivering technical assistance, creating and implementing state plans for program access, facilitating collaborations, partnering with outreach efforts, and potentially issuing grants. At least 50% of their time must focus on small operations.
- Reporting and Funding:
- Requires an annual report to Congress on efforts to boost small operations' program participation and results achieved.
- Authorizes $15 million per year (fiscal years 2027–2031) for office administration and $10 million per year for technical assistance and grants.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 by adding a new Section 229 to establish the Office of Small Farms and outline its structure, duties, and related roles.
- Makes a technical change by redesignating an existing section (on food access) from 225 to 224A to avoid numbering conflicts.
- Adds conforming language to grant the USDA Secretary authority to implement the new office under existing reorganization rules.
- No major overhauls to broader USDA laws, but introduces targeted mechanisms like grants and coordinators to enhance support without altering core program eligibility.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases coordination and administrative workload within USDA by creating new roles (e.g., Director, liaisons, coordinators) and requiring data tracking, reviews, and reporting. This could streamline program delivery but may need additional staffing and funding.
- On Citizens: Benefits small farm, ranch, and forest operators (especially those with limited income or land) by improving access to loans, grants, technical help, and conservation aid, potentially reducing barriers like complex applications or lack of outreach. Could aid in farm sustainability, business growth, and land preservation.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic U.S. agriculture.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Small Farm, Ranch, and Forest Operators: Primary beneficiaries, gaining targeted support, grants, and easier program access.
- USDA Agencies and Employees: Must appoint liaisons, provide training, and integrate small-operation priorities into operations.
- State and Local Governments: Involved through coordinators and partnerships for outreach and program delivery.
- Congress: Receives annual reports to oversee implementation and effectiveness.
- Non-Profit and Community Organizations: Can partner for technical assistance, grants, and outreach.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens administrative efficiency under existing USDA reorganization laws without raising separation-of-powers issues. The grant program (up to $25,000) is straightforward but could face scrutiny on allocation criteria to ensure fairness.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; aligns with Congress's spending power (Article I, Section 8) to fund agricultural support.
- Political: Promotes equity for small-scale agriculture, potentially appealing to rural and underserved communities. Could influence farm policy debates by emphasizing small operations amid larger agribusiness dominance, but implementation depends on future appropriations beyond authorizations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- 2026-02-12: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-02-12: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-12: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-12 — PDF (11 pages)