HR 8533
Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2026
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Bill overview
The Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2026 aims to expand technical assistance for farmers by strengthening the USDA’s ability to support farmer-to-farmer networks. The bill allows the USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with various organizations, including nonprofits, tribal entities, and local governments, to build these networks and connect farmers with mentors and learning opportunities. It prioritizes assistance to historically underserved farmers and those in high-poverty areas, and requires reporting on program activities and outcomes.
Key provisions
- USDA can enter cooperative agreements with eligible entities to support farmer-to-farmer networks.
- The bill prioritizes assistance to historically underserved and high-poverty farmers.
- Eligible entities include nonprofits, tribal organizations, local governments, and institutions of higher education.
- Cooperative agreements must focus on building network capacity, connecting farmers, and promoting conservation practices.
- Eligible entities are required to provide at least two of several actions to support farmer-to-farmer networks.
- The bill allows for subawards to support events and innovative activities related to farmer-to-farmer assistance.
- Reporting requirements are included to track program activities and outcomes.
- Funding for the program will come from the Natural Resources Conservation Service's annual appropriations.
Who is affected
- Farmers
- Ranchers
- Forest Owners
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8533
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to expand the provision of farmer-led technical assistance, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2026
.
Section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
The term farmer-to-farmer network means any affiliation or association of farmers that share information, technical assistance, or any other type of mutually beneficial support.
in subsection (f)(1), by inserting and for the purpose of carrying out subsection (j)
before the period at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
The purposes of this subsection are—
to increase the provision of technical assistance that meets the specific needs of, and is accessible to, farmers, ranchers, and forest owners using different farming models, practices, and scales;
to establish and steward farmer-to-farmer networks; and
to establish reporting requirements for activities carried out under this subsection.
An entity eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary under subparagraph (A) is—
a nonprofit entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code;
a farmer-to-farmer network;
an Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
a unit of local government (including a conservation district and a conservation district association);
an institution of higher education;
a State; and
any other entity designated by the Secretary.
historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, including limited-resource farmers, ranchers, and forest owners (as determined by the Secretary); or
farmers, ranchers, and forest owners operating in high-poverty areas (as determined by the Secretary).
If an eligible entity provides assistance to establish a farmer-to-farmer network using assistance provided through a cooperative agreement under paragraph (2), the eligible entity shall be responsible for not less than 2 of the following actions:
Facilitating and increasing farmer access to farmer-to-farmer networks.
Facilitating mentor and mentee matchmaking among farmers.
Coordinating training and resources to build the skills of farmer-to-farmer network leaders and participants for effective education, grassroots-based learning, and cross-training with respect to the facilitation of, information about, and other skills with respect to building effective farmer-to-farmer networks.
Maintaining and promulgating a list of relevant entities, associations, and individuals that are supporting, or have an interest in supporting, farmer-to-farmer networks.
Administering subawards to increase farmer access to farmer-to-farmer assistance in accordance with paragraph (4).
Other actions determined appropriate by the Secretary.
An eligible entity that enters into a cooperative agreement under paragraph (2) shall annually submit to the Secretary a report describing—
any subawards administered pursuant to subparagraph (A)(v).
If an eligible entity awards a subaward pursuant to paragraph (3)(A)(v) to an eligible subawardee described in subparagraph (B), the eligible subawardee shall use that award—
to plan and conduct events, and identify and develop innovative activities, to support building capacity for farmer-to-farmer networks, connecting farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and supporting goal setting to increase long-term adoption of consistent, science-based, site-specific conservation objectives on land active in agricultural, forestry, or related uses; and
to compensate participants in the events and activities described in clause (i) at market rates.
An entity eligible for a subaward under paragraph (3)(A)(v) is—
a nonprofit entity described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code;
a farmer-to-farmer network;
an Indian Tribe or a Tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
a unit of local government (including a conservation district and a conservation district association);
an institution of higher education;
any other entity designated by the Secretary.
The Secretary, in conjunction with the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall establish any necessary additional requirements for subawards under paragraph (3)(A)(v).
Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the status of activities funded under this subsection, including—
funding awarded;
the results of the activities, including, if feasible, conservation practice adoption outcomes; and
if applicable, outreach activities the Secretary has considered incorporating into other conservation technical assistance efforts as a result of the program established under this subsection.