New Producer Economic Security Act

This bill would create a New Producer Economic Security Program inside USDA’s Farm Service Agency. It would fund local projects run by eligible organizations to help people start or grow farms by improving access to land, money, and markets. It also aims to boost long-term farm success and support farmers’ physical and mental health.

Money could go directly to the people the program serves for things like down payments or lower interest on farm mortgages, buying land, fixing inherited title problems, soil and water improvements, basic farm infrastructure, land-use planning, succession planning, Tribal consultation, and help getting a USDA farm number. It can also fund training, translation, business planning, and even create revolving loan funds to keep support going in the community. Projects that give direct financial help, build strong partnerships, give Tribes a first chance to buy nearby land that goes up for sale, keep farmland in farming, help land transition to new producers, support farmworkers, and adopt conservation practices would get priority.

• Who is affected: People starting or building farm businesses; farmworkers; Tribal citizens and governments near Tribal lands; and the organizations that help them and would carry out these projects.
• What changes: USDA would award grants, cooperative agreements, or other support to organizations, and those groups would provide direct help (grants or loans) to the people they serve for land access, infrastructure, planning, training, and more .
• When: Within 6 months of becoming law, USDA must set up a stakeholder committee to help choose projects. In most cases, funds must be put to use within five years. The bill doesn’t set a dollar amount for funding (it allows funding as needed) .