Sponsors (2)
The bill expands on-the-ground support, outreach, and accessibility for farmers and local conservation partners but increases program costs, administrative burdens, and risks that smaller producers may be edged out by intermediaries.
Farmers and ranchers, especially historically underserved producers, will gain expanded access to peer mentorship, technical assistance, and capacity-building through funded farmer-to-farmer networks.
Local conservation groups and nonprofits will be able to receive cooperative agreements and subawards to run trainings and events and compensate participants at market rates, increasing local program delivery capacity and economic support for rural communities.
Non-English-speaking farmers, including immigrant producers, will have improved access to services because program providers are required to offer language assistance.
Taxpayers and rural communities may face higher program costs because expanding NRCS responsibilities is funded from 'such sums as are necessary,' potentially diverting funds from other NRCS activities or requiring increased appropriations.
Smaller or less-organized producers may have reduced direct access to funds if intermediaries or larger organizations receive priority for cooperative agreements and subawards, worsening equity for limited-resource farmers.
Nonprofit providers and individual subawardees could face increased administrative and reporting burdens from new subaward and evaluation requirements, which may deter participation or require hiring administrative resources.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes NRCS cooperative agreements and subawards to support farmer-to-farmer networks, prioritizing underserved producers and funded from NRCS conservation operations.
Official title: Amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to expand the provision of farmer-led technical assistance, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 14, 2025 by Ben Ray Luján · Last progress May 14, 2025
Creates a new authority in NRCS to support "farmer-to-farmer networks" by allowing cooperative agreements and subawards to nonprofit groups, tribal entities, local governments, universities, individuals, and other designated partners. The program must prioritize providers serving historically underserved producers and high-poverty areas, include language-access provisions, require annual reports and a 4-year evaluation, and is funded from existing NRCS conservation operations appropriations as needed.