S. 4867

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4867 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4867

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish a small farm EQIP subprogram under the 
environmental quality incentives program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 23, 2026

Mr. Bennet (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Welch, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Booker, Mr. Reed, and Mr. King) introduced the following bill; which 
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish a small farm EQIP subprogram under the 
environmental quality incentives program, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Small Farm Conservation Act''.

SEC. 2. SMALL FARM EQIP SUBPROGRAM.

Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2) 
is amended--
(1) in subsection (d)--
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
following:
``(1) Availability; minimum amount.--
``(A) Availability.--A payment provided to a 
producer under the program shall be used to implement 1 
or more practices under the program.
``(B) Minimum amount.--The amount of a payment 
provided to a producer under the program shall be not 
less than $2,500.'';
(B) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ``A payment'' and 
inserting ``Subject to paragraph (1)(B), a payment''; 
and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Soil health management system payments.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), 
the Secretary shall increase the amount that would 
otherwise be provided for practices comprising a soil 
health management system on a farm by 50 percent for 
any application for a soil health management system on 
an operation of not more than 50 acres.
``(B) Rapid and streamlined application and 
contract approval.--The Secretary shall provide 
payments under this paragraph on a continuous 
enrollment basis, using a rapid and streamlined 
application and contract approval process.'';
(2) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Small farm eqip subprogram.--
``(A) Total funding.--For each of fiscal years 2027 
through 2031, not less than 30 percent of the funds 
made available for payments under the program shall be 
used to carry out the subprogram established under 
subsection (k).
``(B) Technical and financial assistance.--Of the 
amounts made available under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) 35 percent shall be used to ensure 
the provision of tailored technical assistance 
for small-scale agricultural producers by--
``(I) hiring new Natural Resources 
Conservation Service staff who are 
familiar with the unique conservation 
challenges faced by small-scale 
agricultural producers;
``(II) training current Natural 
Resources Conservation Service field 
staff regarding the challenges 
described in subclause (I); and
``(III) ensuring sufficient Natural 
Resources Conservation Service staffing 
levels to deliver a streamlined and 
expedited application and contracting 
experience to small-scale agricultural 
producers; and
``(ii) 65 percent shall be used to provide 
financial assistance directly to small-scale 
agricultural producers.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(k) Small Farm EQIP Subprogram.--
``(1) In general.--In each State, the Secretary shall 
establish under the program a subprogram, under which the 
Secretary shall--
``(A) provide financial and technical assistance to 
small-scale agricultural producers that enter into 
contracts with the Secretary under the subprogram;
``(B) conduct outreach to small-scale agricultural 
producers to increase participation in the subprogram; 
and
``(C) provide to field staff of the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service training and education 
regarding the specific conservation needs of small-
scale agricultural producers.
``(2) Payments.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall determine 
whether a small-scale agricultural producer is eligible 
to receive payments under this subsection--
``(i) on a State-by-State basis, subject to 
subparagraph (C);
``(ii) in consultation with the technical 
committee established under section 1261(a) of 
the State in which the small-scale agricultural 
producer is located; and
``(iii) based on--
``(I) the operations of a small-
scale agricultural producer, including 
with respect to farm size and gross 
sales;
``(II) demographic data compiled by 
the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service relating to small-scale 
agricultural producers, including--
``(aa) a farmer, rancher, 
or nonindustrial private forest 
landowner who is a member of a 
socially disadvantaged group 
(as defined in section 355(e) 
of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2003(e)));
``(bb) a farmer, rancher, 
or nonindustrial private forest 
landowner operating in a high-
poverty area, as determined by 
the Poverty Area Measures 
published by the Economic 
Research Service;
``(cc) a farmer, rancher, 
or nonindustrial private forest 
landowner that is a person 
described in paragraphs (1) and 
(2), and (if applicable) 
paragraph (3), in the 
definition of `limited resource 
farmer or rancher' in section 
718.2 of title 7, Code of 
Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this 
subsection);
``(dd) a farmer, rancher, 
or nonindustrial private forest 
landowner--

``(AA) who is an 
individual who has not 
operated a farm, ranch, 
or forest operation for 
more than 10 years and 
materially and 
substantially 
participates in the 
operation of the farm, 
ranch, or forest 
operation; or

``(BB) that is a 
legal entity not less 
than 50 percent of the 
interest in which is 
held by individuals 
described in subitem 
(AA); and

``(ee) a farmer, rancher, 
or nonindustrial private forest 
landowner who has served in the 
Armed Forces (as defined in 
section 101 of title 38, United 
States Code) and who--

``(AA) has not 
operated a farm, ranch, 
or forest operation;

``(BB) has operated 
a farm, ranch, or 
forest operation for 
not more than 10 years; 
or

``(CC) is a veteran 
(as defined in that 
section) who has first 
obtained status as a 
veteran (as so defined) 
during the most recent 
10-year period;

``(III) the applicable advanced 
payment requirements under subsection 
(d)(4); and
``(IV) other relevant information, 
as determined by the Secretary.
``(B) Amount.--The Secretary shall provide payments 
under this subsection to a producer that is eligible 
for the payments under subparagraph (A) in such amount 
as the Secretary determines--
``(i) achieves the purposes described in 
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1);
``(ii) addresses natural resource concerns 
relating to production on small-scale 
agricultural operations; and
``(iii) is in accordance with any 
applicable increased payment requirements under 
subsection (d)(4).
``(C) Size requirements.--
``(i) In general.--To be eligible to 
receive a payment under subparagraph (A) (other 
than a payment described in clause (ii)), the 
farm size of an agricultural producer may not 
exceed the median farm size of the State in 
which the producer is located, based on 
aggregate data published by the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service.
``(ii) Livestock and pasture management 
payments.--To be eligible to receive a 
livestock or pasture management payment under 
subparagraph (A), the herd size of an 
agricultural producer may not exceed the median 
herd size of the State in which the producer is 
located, based on aggregate data published by 
the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
``(iii) Gross cash farm income.--To be 
eligible to receive a payment under 
subparagraph (A), the farm of an agricultural 
producer shall be categorized as a small family 
or nonfamily farm, as defined by the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service.
``(3) Applications.--
``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive 
financial and technical assistance under this 
subsection, a producer that is eligible for the 
assistance under paragraph (2)(A) shall submit to the 
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require.
``(B) Administration.--To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall limit the 
administrative burdens, and the regulatory barriers 
that contribute to administrative burdens, on producers 
applying for payments under this subsection.
``(C) Rapid and streamlined application and 
contract approval.--The Secretary shall provide 
payments under this paragraph on a continuous 
enrollment basis, using a rapid and streamlined 
application and contract approval process.
``(4) Subprogram coordinators.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
Secretary shall designate--
``(i) a national subprogram coordinator; 
and
``(ii) a subprogram coordinator in each 
State.
``(B) Requirements.--At the time of designation 
under subparagraph (A), a national or State subprogram 
coordinator shall be--
``(i) an employee of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service; and
``(ii) responsible for, on a national or 
statewide basis, respectively--
``(I) public outreach relating to 
the subprogram;
``(II) assisting producers in the 
submission of applications under the 
subprogram;
``(III) distributing financial and 
technical assistance under this 
subsection; and
``(IV) submitting to the Secretary 
annual recommendations with respect to 
additional conservation practice 
standards and activities required to 
better serve small-scale agricultural 
producers.
``(5) Language requirements.--The Secretary shall publish 
any outreach materials for small-scale agricultural producers 
relating to the subprogram under this subsection simultaneously 
in--
``(A) English; and
``(B) such additional languages as the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate for each applicable State.
``(6) Report.--Not later than May 1, 2030, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives a report describing the results of the 
subprogram under this subsection, including--
``(A) activities carried out under paragraph (3)(B) 
to limit administrative burdens and regulatory 
barriers; and
``(B) to the maximum extent practicable, 
demographic information relating to each small-scale 
agricultural producer participating in the subprogram, 
as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.''.
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