Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 5218
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-08-03: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-08-18T14:15:26Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 5218: Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to create a new grant program. The program directs the Secretary of Agriculture to award competitive grants to eligible entities. The goal is to establish and enhance farming and ranching opportunities for veterans, defined as individuals who served in the U.S. military as outlined in title 38 of the U.S. Code.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Creation: The Secretary must establish a program to fund competitive grants focused on veteran education and training in agriculture.
- Eligible Entities: Grants are available to cooperative extension services, land-grant colleges or universities, non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, state departments of agriculture, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, or combinations of these.
- Allowable Uses of Funds: Recipients must use grants for training on farm and ranch business operations, developing curricula for veteran farmers, offering workshops and field experiences, or other activities to build skills in agriculture.
- Matching Requirement: Entities receiving grants must provide non-federal matching funds equal to the grant amount.
- Funding Authorization: Up to $5,000,000 is authorized annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds a new Section 414 to Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998. It introduces a dedicated competitive grant program for veteran agricultural training, which did not previously exist in this form under the amended act.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture would administer the program, including grant awards and oversight, potentially increasing administrative workload.
- On Citizens: Veterans interested in agriculture could gain access to training and education resources to start or improve farming and ranching businesses.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts are outlined in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Military veterans seeking agricultural opportunities.
- Educational institutions such as land-grant colleges and universities.
- State agriculture departments.
- Nonprofit and community-based organizations focused on agriculture or veteran support.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill represents a standard exercise of congressional authority to authorize federal spending and program creation through an amendment to existing agricultural law. It does not introduce apparent constitutional conflicts or major legal changes beyond establishing a new grant mechanism.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-08-03: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-08-03: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act of 2026 — issued 2026-08-03 — PDF (4 pages)