Marilyn Strickland (D-WA)
Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 5 Democratic cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill creates an Office of Small Farms within the Department of Agriculture to better support small farms, ranches, and forest operations. The office will be led by a Director appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and will coordinate support, review policies that disadvantage small operations, and propose new initiatives. It also establishes State small farms coordinators in each State to help deliver local technical assistance and program improvements. Additionally, the office is authorized to provide grants of up to $25,000 directly to operators for equipment, repairs, business planning, and other specific needs. The bill authorizes specific funding amounts for the administration of the office and for providing technical assistance and grants through fiscal year 2031.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +9
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill establishes a dedicated office to provide grants, technical assistance, and policy advocacy specifically for small farm and ranch operators.
- Scored +8
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill provides significant new resources, technical assistance, and financial grants specifically for small farm and ranch owners.
- Scored +8
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill creates a dedicated office, provides direct grants up to $25,000, and offers technical assistance specifically for small agricultural operations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Direct financial grants for small operators: Under Section 2(c)(7), the office can provide grants of up to $25,000 to operators of small farms, ranches, and forest operations for equipment and infrastructure repairs, uninsured losses, business planning, market development, conservation practices, and land acquisition down payments. This provides direct monetary relief and investment opportunities for struggling or growing small operations.
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Anonymous reporting hotline: Under Section 2(c)(8), the office must operate a hotline allowing small farm, ranch, and forest operators to anonymously report problems they encounter when trying to access Department programs. This gives everyday workers a safe way to hold officials accountable without fear of retaliation.
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Targeted technical assistance: Under Section 2(c)(6), the office provides or coordinates technical assistance to help operators access available Department grants, cost-share, and loan programs, while also assisting with farmland preservation and succession planning. This helps everyday farmers navigate complex government bureaucracy.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Cost of government operations: Under Section 2(g), the bill authorizes the appropriation of $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the administration of the office, plus an additional $10,000,000 for each of those same years to provide technical assistance and grants. This adds significant taxpayer-funded spending to the federal budget.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill establishes a dedicated office to provide grants, technical assistance, and policy advocacy specifically for small farm and ranch operators. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides significant new resources, technical assistance, and financial grants specifically for small farm and ranch owners. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The focus on small farm support and state-level coordination provides structural support to rural communities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The grant programs are aimed at small-scale operators who may have limited access to capital.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill creates a dedicated office, provides direct grants up to $25,000, and offers technical assistance specifically for small agricultural operations. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Providing direct grants and technical assistance to small-scale operators can bolster the local agricultural economy. Is this likely to create jobs? — The provision of grants for equipment, infrastructure, and business planning may assist in sustaining and creating agricultural jobs.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The establishment of State coordinators and dedicated technical assistance targets the needs of rural agricultural communities. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill provides grants specifically for the adoption of conservation practices.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The creation of an anonymous hotline allows operators to report barriers to accessing government programs.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Grants for land acquisition and business planning can help stabilize the income of small farm operators.
- 9/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/31/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/20/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- 3/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/12/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Jahana HayesDemocrat · Connecticut
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
Eugene VindmanDemocrat · Virginia
Frederica WilsonDemocrat · Florida