USDA opens farm programs to smaller cooperatives, expanding rural support
H.R. 6093 — Agricultural Cooperative Energy Savings Act of 2025 · Filed by Dusty Johnson (R-SD) · 9 cosponsors · Introduced Nov 18, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill expands USDA program eligibility to include agricultural cooperatives with fewer than 2,500 employees. Currently, certain USDA programs exclude or have higher barriers for smaller cooperatives; this amendment lowers the threshold to include them, making more small and mid-sized farm cooperatives eligible for federal agricultural support and energy-efficiency programs.
Why we flagged it
The bill straightforwardly expands federal agricultural program eligibility to a previously excluded or disadvantaged class of rural entities. It is a targeted eligibility amendment with no hidden mechanisms or narrow carve-outs.
What the text implies
- The amendment's effect depends entirely on what programs are governed by 7 USC 9007(c)(1)(A)(i) and what benefits they confer; the bill itself does not restate those programs, so the scope of new eligibility is not visible in this text alone.
- Smaller cooperatives may face compliance or administrative burdens in accessing programs they were previously excluded from; the bill does not address implementation support or technical assistance.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
agricultural cooperatives with fewer than 2,500 employees; member-farmers in smaller cooperatives