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Creates a recurring USDA grant program that gives emergency relief to farmworkers through eligible farmworker organizations whenever the Secretary of Agriculture determines a covered disaster has occurred. The law defines covered disasters, who counts as a migrant or seasonal farmworker, what organizations are eligible, allowable grant uses (direct relief, shelter, capacity and resiliency building, infrastructure, and other emergency services), and requires a promotional plan and consultation with farmworker organizations during grant implementation. The provision applies starting in FY2024 and each succeeding fiscal year when the Secretary makes a disaster determination. It does not specify dollar amounts or a new appropriation; funds remain available until expended and the Secretary implements and promotes the grant program through the Under Secretary for Rural Development.
The bill provides direct emergency cash and flexible resiliency grants to support farmworkers and local organizations after disasters, but does so with open-ended spending authority and discretionary administration that could increase federal costs and produce unpredictable, uneven distribution of aid.
Migrant and seasonal farmworkers receive emergency cash and services when disasters strike, reducing immediate financial hardship and helping meet basic needs during recovery.
Nonprofits that serve farmworkers receive recurring, flexible grants for resiliency projects, training, preparedness, and multi-year recovery uses, strengthening local capacity to respond to future disasters.
Community organizations and rural communities gain access to funding for resiliency infrastructure (for example, shelters and recovery projects), improving local disaster preparedness and sheltering options for affected workers.
Taxpayers may face increased federal spending because the bill authorizes grants without a specified appropriation or explicit dollar limits.
The broad definition of “covered disaster” could trigger frequent disbursements, creating administrative burden and uneven application across regions.
Giving the Secretary discretion to approve “other assistance” reduces predictability for applicants and may lead to uneven or opaque funding decisions.
Introduced May 7, 2025 by Michael F. Bennet · Last progress May 7, 2025