Sponsor
Cory Anthony Booker
Senator · D-NJ
Senator · D-NJ
The bill creates a funded USDA Office, coordinators, and small grant program to improve access and support for small farms, ranches, and forests, trading a modest recurring federal cost and administrative/implementation uncertainties for more targeted outreach and financial assistance to rural operators.
Small farm, ranch, and forest operators (and the rural communities that depend on them) gain a dedicated USDA Office plus state coordinators and agency liaisons that improve local outreach, technical assistance, and coordination across USDA programs.
Qualifying small operators become eligible for direct grants (up to $25,000) to fund repairs, business planning, conservation practices, and land down payments, providing immediate financial support for operations and resilience.
The bill authorizes dedicated funding (FY2027–2031) to administer the Office and provide technical assistance and grants, increasing the likelihood of sustained program operations and longer-term support for small operators.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending to stand up and run the new office and grant program, with roughly $25 million per year authorized, raising the fiscal cost borne by the public.
The $25,000 grant cap may be insufficient for many small operators to cover major capital investments or land purchases, limiting the program's ability to address larger financial barriers.
Broad discretion granted to the Secretary over acreage definitions, eligible grant uses, and other implementation details creates uncertainty and could lead to uneven or opaque eligibility and distribution decisions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a USDA Office of Small Farms to coordinate support, review policies, advise on data/research, run a hotline, and operate grants up to $25,000 for eligible small operators.
Official title: 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 Cory Anthony Booker · Last progress February 12, 2026
Creates an Office of Small Farms inside USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area to coordinate agency actions that help small farms, ranches, and forest operations. The bill defines "small farm, ranch, or forest operation," requires appointment of a Director, and charges that office with reviewing policies, recommending new initiatives, coordinating technical assistance and research, running a small grants program (awards up to $25,000), and operating an anonymous hotline for operators to report barriers. The text sets organizational and program duties but does not specify appropriations, staffing levels, or detailed reporting requirements. It primarily authorizes a new coordinating office and a small grants program to support equipment repair, business planning, conservation adoption, land purchase down payments, uninsured loss relief, and similar needs for smaller producers.