Sponsors (2)
The bill creates a USDA-run matching service to help retiring farmers and new entrants keep farms operating — supporting rural jobs and continuity — but requires federal resources, has a limited five-year sunset that creates planning uncertainty, and raises privacy risks unless carefully managed.
Aspiring farmers and retiring/transferring farmers get a centralized USDA-facilitated matching service that helps connect successors with available farms, making it easier to start or transfer farm operations.
Rural communities are more likely to retain agricultural activity and jobs because smoother succession reduces farm closures and preserves local economic activity.
Congress (and therefore taxpayers) receive regular reporting and oversight information on the program, improving transparency and accountability for how the initiative operates.
Taxpayers and USDA will bear administrative costs to operate the program, which could require new staffing or divert funds from other USDA programs or priorities.
The program has a five-year sunset, creating uncertainty for farmers planning long-term succession and potentially interrupting continuity unless Congress renews the authority.
Maintaining a database of individuals and farm properties could raise privacy and liability concerns for participants if data protections and liability rules are not robustly managed.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a USDA-run Farm Land Link Program to match retiring farmers with new farmers via a database, transfer facilitation, guidance, and regular reporting, with a five-year sunset and possible five-year extension.
Introduced April 22, 2026 by Greg Landsman · Last progress April 22, 2026
Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to set up a Farm Land Link Program within 180 days to match people leaving farming with people who want to start farming. The program must keep a transfer database, help facilitate transfers of farm businesses and property, publish guidance, and consider earlier federal study results. It automatically ends five years after enactment unless the Secretary extends it for one more five-year term, and the Secretary must provide regular and final reports to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.