USDA gets new office to help small farms access programs they've been shut out of
H.R. 7562 — Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026 · Filed by Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 12, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new Office of Small Farms within the USDA to coordinate support for farms, ranches, and forest operations under 180 acres or with less than $350,000 annual gross income. The office will review existing USDA programs to identify barriers to small-farm participation, recommend new financing and technical assistance, operate a hotline for complaints, and distribute grants up to $25,000 for equipment, land down payments, and business planning. It also designates state-level coordinators to help small farms access USDA programs.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is establishing a new USDA office and state coordinators to improve small-farm access to existing programs and provide targeted grants and technical assistance. This is a straightforward public-sector capacity-building measure.
What the text implies
- The definition of 'small farm' (under 180 acres OR under $350k annual income) is flexible and state-adjustable, potentially allowing regional variation that could either broaden or narrow eligibility depending on USDA implementation guidance.
- The $25,000 grant cap per operation is modest; cumulative impact depends on appropriations and how many farms can be served annually—the bill authorizes but does not guarantee funding.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
small farms and ranches (direct grant recipients); beginning farmers and ranchers (technical assistance and program access); agricultural extension and technical-assistance providers (cooperative agreements)