Sponsors (17)
The bill provides $50 million to stabilize organizations that support farmworkers and related workers after disasters—improving organizational resilience and oversight—while creating modest federal spending increases, potential administrative uncertainty over eligibility, and limited direct aid to individual workers.
Unions and membership organizations serving farmworkers, meatpacking, and grocery workers will be eligible to receive disaster stabilization grants to support and maintain worker support services, backed by a dedicated funding stream.
The bill commits a specific appropriation to the program, helping ensure resources are available to respond to eligible disasters until those funds are expended.
Congress and taxpayers will get a required evaluation report within four years assessing program outcomes, increasing transparency and enabling policy adjustments based on evidence.
Workers (farmworkers, meatpacking, and grocery workers) may not receive direct cash assistance because the program funds organizations rather than individuals, so immediate relief depends on organizations passing funds through to workers.
Taxpayers could face increased federal spending because of the $50 million appropriation, which may require trade-offs with other programs or priorities.
Eligibility and grant decisions are delegated to the Secretary, potentially creating delays, limiting which organizations receive funds, and producing uncertainty for some worker groups about access to support.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a USDA grant program to provide stabilization payments to organizations or unions representing farm, meat-processing, and grocery workers after disasters and authorizes $50 million.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grocery, farm, and food worker stabilization grant program.
Introduced March 16, 2026 by Nikki Budzinski · Last progress March 16, 2026
Creates a new USDA grant program to provide stabilization payments to membership organizations or labor unions that represent farmworkers, meat processing workers, or grocery workers after a natural disaster or other disaster the Secretary of Agriculture recognizes. Authorizes $50 million (available until expended) to carry out the program and requires a report to congressional agriculture committees on outcomes and impacts within four years.