Sponsors (6)
Official title: To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish an Office of Small Farms, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 12, 2026 by Marilyn Strickland · Last progress February 12, 2026
The bill directs modest, targeted funding and coordinated USDA support to help small farms and forest operations access aid and programs, trading a small ongoing federal cost and increased administrative requirements for potentially improved outreach and short-term financial assistance that may still be insufficient for larger needs.
Small farms, ranches, and forest operations will receive targeted grants (up to $25,000) for equipment, uninsured losses, business planning, conservation adoption, or land down payments, delivering direct short-term financial relief and capacity support.
Small operations and rural communities will gain coordinated USDA support, state coordinators, and agency liaisons to improve outreach and make it easier to access grants, loans, and conservation programs.
The bill authorizes dedicated funding (administration and grants/technical assistance totaling approximately $25M per year through FY2031), creating predictable resources to run the office and programs supporting small operations.
Some small operations' needs (recovery, infrastructure, or land acquisition) may exceed the $25,000 grant cap, leaving higher-cost needs unmet.
Grant eligibility criteria and broad Secretary discretion (including alternate acreage definitions and allowance for 'other purposes') could produce uneven eligibility, opaque award decisions, and perceived unfairness.
Program effectiveness depends on implementation and interagency cooperation; without strong follow-through the new office and funds may deliver limited benefits.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a USDA Office of Small Farms to coordinate support, review barriers, recommend programs, and run grants up to $25,000 for eligible small operations.
Creates a new Office of Small Farms inside USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area to coordinate and improve federal support for small farms, ranches, and forest operations. The office will be led by a Director, who may be a senior official already within the mission area, and will carry out coordination, program review, data and research recommendations, technical assistance, succession planning, and a small grants program. Defines what counts as a “small farm, ranch, or forest operation” (under 180 acres or a state/region acreage-based definition plus annual gross cash farm income below $350,000) and allows State offices across USDA mission areas to participate. Grants are limited to $25,000 per award for items like equipment repairs, uninsured losses, business planning, conservation adoption, and land down payments; the office must also identify barriers to USDA programs and suggest programmatic and data changes.