The "Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026" amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to create a dedicated Office of Small Farms within the farm production and conservation mission area. This office is tasked with improving support for small farms, ranches, and forest operations , defined by acreage and an annual gross cash farm income of less than $350,000. A Director will be appointed to lead efforts in coordinating USDA programs and identifying policies that disadvantage small operations, recommending changes to better serve these entities. The Director's duties include developing recommendations for new initiatives, such as financing mechanisms and technical assistance, covering areas like production, conservation, business planning, and land access. The office will also provide technical assistance to help operators access USDA grants, cost-share, and loan programs, and implement a grant program offering up to $25,000 for equipment, uninsured losses, business development, and land acquisition. A hotline will be established for operators to report issues accessing Department programs. To ensure comprehensive support, the bill requires various USDA agencies to appoint liaisons to the Office of Small Farms, fostering collaboration and developing outreach strategies. Additionally, State small farms coordinators will be designated in each state to coordinate technical assistance at the local level and develop State-specific plans to improve program delivery, dedicating at least 50 percent of their duties to small farm-related activities. The legislation authorizes annual appropriations of $15,000,000 for the administration of the Office of Small Farms and $10,000,000 for technical assistance and grants for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. An annual report to Congress will detail the Secretary's efforts and results in enhancing small farm participation in agricultural programs.
The "Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026" amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to create a dedicated Office of Small Farms within the farm production and conservation mission area. This office is tasked with improving support for small farms, ranches, and forest operations , defined by acreage and an annual gross cash farm income of less than $350,000. A Director will be appointed to lead efforts in coordinating USDA programs and identifying policies that disadvantage small operations, recommending changes to better serve these entities. The Director's duties include developing recommendations for new initiatives, such as financing mechanisms and technical assistance, covering areas like production, conservation, business planning, and land access. The office will also provide technical assistance to help operators access USDA grants, cost-share, and loan programs, and implement a grant program offering up to $25,000 for equipment, uninsured losses, business development, and land acquisition. A hotline will be established for operators to report issues accessing Department programs. To ensure comprehensive support, the bill requires various USDA agencies to appoint liaisons to the Office of Small Farms, fostering collaboration and developing outreach strategies. Additionally, State small farms coordinators will be designated in each state to coordinate technical assistance at the local level and develop State-specific plans to improve program delivery, dedicating at least 50 percent of their duties to small farm-related activities. The legislation authorizes annual appropriations of $15,000,000 for the administration of the Office of Small Farms and $10,000,000 for technical assistance and grants for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. An annual report to Congress will detail the Secretary's efforts and results in enhancing small farm participation in agricultural programs.