The "Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2025" aims to significantly expand farmer-led technical assistance by amending the Food Security Act of 1985. It establishes a new program empowering the Secretary of Agriculture to support "farmer-to-farmer networks," which are affiliations of farmers sharing information and mutual support. The core purpose is to build capacity within these networks, connect farmers with mentors, and facilitate group learning to increase the long-term adoption of consistent, science-based conservation practices on agricultural, forestry, and related lands. To achieve these goals, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with a diverse range of eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, existing farmer-to-farmer networks, Indian Tribes, and local governments. A key provision mandates prioritization for entities that serve historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners , as well as those operating in high-poverty areas . These agreements will enable providers to facilitate farmer access to networks, coordinate training, and administer subawards to further expand assistance, including providing language assistance to non-English speaking farmers when practicable. Entities receiving assistance must submit annual reports detailing conservation activities and subawards, which can be used to plan events, develop innovative activities, and compensate participants. The Secretary is mandated to report to Congress within four years on the program's status, funding, and conservation outcomes. Funding for this initiative will be drawn from annual appropriations for conservation operations of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Agriculture and Food
Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2025
USA119th CongressS-1769| Senate
| Updated: 5/14/2025
The "Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2025" aims to significantly expand farmer-led technical assistance by amending the Food Security Act of 1985. It establishes a new program empowering the Secretary of Agriculture to support "farmer-to-farmer networks," which are affiliations of farmers sharing information and mutual support. The core purpose is to build capacity within these networks, connect farmers with mentors, and facilitate group learning to increase the long-term adoption of consistent, science-based conservation practices on agricultural, forestry, and related lands. To achieve these goals, the Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with a diverse range of eligible entities, including nonprofit organizations, existing farmer-to-farmer networks, Indian Tribes, and local governments. A key provision mandates prioritization for entities that serve historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners , as well as those operating in high-poverty areas . These agreements will enable providers to facilitate farmer access to networks, coordinate training, and administer subawards to further expand assistance, including providing language assistance to non-English speaking farmers when practicable. Entities receiving assistance must submit annual reports detailing conservation activities and subawards, which can be used to plan events, develop innovative activities, and compensate participants. The Secretary is mandated to report to Congress within four years on the program's status, funding, and conservation outcomes. Funding for this initiative will be drawn from annual appropriations for conservation operations of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.