Sponsors (19)
The bill creates a permanent USDA-backed emergency aid and resilience program that meaningfully improves disaster support for farmworkers and rural communities, but it requires new federal spending and carries risks of uneven access or delayed delivery depending on implementation and eligibility rules.
Farmworkers (including migrant and seasonal workers) will be able to receive rapid emergency cash, shelter, and services after disasters, reducing immediate hardship and helping families meet basic needs.
Establishes a permanent, annual USDA grant program beginning in FY2026 to fund farmworker emergency aid and recovery, creating an ongoing federal mechanism for readiness and support.
Authorizes community resiliency and infrastructure investments (including shelters), which can reduce future disruption to workers and local economies and strengthen rural disaster preparedness.
Taxpayers may face increased federal spending to fund the new standing grant program starting in FY2026, which could add to the federal budget and require ongoing appropriations.
A broad definition of 'covered disaster' combined with Secretary discretion to trigger grants could lead to uneven, inconsistent, or politicized decisions about when and where aid is provided.
Nonprofit eligibility criteria that require specific statuses (e.g., 501(c)(3)) may exclude some local groups and delay or block aid to certain farmworker communities that lack qualifying organizational structures.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a standing USDA grant program (starting FY2026) to fund eligible farm worker organizations for emergency relief after covered disasters.
Introduced May 7, 2025 by Andrea Salinas · Last progress May 7, 2025
Creates a standing USDA grant program, starting in fiscal year 2026, to fund eligible farm worker organizations that provide emergency relief and related services after covered disasters. Grants may pay for direct emergency aid, capacity building, community resiliency, infrastructure support (including shelter), and other emergency services the Secretary of Agriculture deems appropriate. Funds remain available until expended and the Secretary must promote the program and consult with eligible organizations in carrying it out.