JUST Act of 2025

This bill aims to strengthen civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and make it easier for farmers and other program users to get fair treatment. It requires the USDA to take corrective action when employees are found to discriminate, retaliate, harass, delay services, give bad information, or fail to provide service receipts. Corrective actions can include policy fixes and discipline, up to removal from federal service . It also shifts more power to a new Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, creates an independent legal advisor office to support civil rights work within 120 days of enactment, and bars that office from defending the agency in discrimination cases .

The bill sets up an independent Civil Rights Ombudsperson to help farmers and other customers navigate complaints and appeals, requires USDA to provide requested records to that office within 60 days, and calls for annual public reporting on what the office finds. It authorizes funding for this work from 2026 through 2028. It lets the Assistant Secretary grant “equitable relief” to people who file civil rights complaints about USDA programs or farm loans—without needing prior approval—and only the Secretary can reverse those decisions. This includes relief when someone acted in good faith based on USDA advice or made a good-faith effort to meet loan rules . In USDA appeals, the agency—not the farmer—must now prove its decision was valid, using substantial evidence.

Key points

• Who is affected: Farmers, ranchers, and anyone using USDA programs; USDA employees and offices that handle civil rights and appeals .
• What changes:
  • Mandatory corrective actions for discrimination, retaliation, harassment, service delays, or missing/incorrect service receipts.
  • New Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and an independent legal advisor office within 120 days .
  • New Civil Rights Ombudsperson to guide users, with 60-day record access and annual reports.
  • Easier path to equitable relief for program users and loan applicants who file civil rights complaints; only the Secretary can reverse those relief decisions .
  • In appeals, USDA must prove its actions were correct by substantial evidence.
• When:
  • Offices must be set up within 120 days of enactment; Ombudsperson reports yearly; funding is authorized for fiscal years 2026–2028 .