S-3860-119
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sponsored by Cory Booker (D-NJ)
What it does
This bill would establish an Office of Small Farms within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's farm production and conservation mission area, led by a Director appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The office would coordinate small-farm programs across USDA agencies, provide technical assistance, run a small-grant program (up to $25,000 per recipient) for equipment, uninsured losses, business planning, conservation, and land-acquisition down payments, operate a complaint hotline, and designate a small farms coordinator in each state. It authorizes $15 million annually for administration and $10 million annually for technical assistance and grants for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Who benefits
Operators of small farms, ranches, and forest operations (under 180 acres or a similar size threshold, with gross cash farm income below $350,000) who could access new grants, technical assistance, and coordinated USDA services; state agriculture agency employees appointed as coordinators who gain new duties; beginning farmers and ranchers who may overlap with small-farm coordinators; USDA contractors and nonprofit partners receiving cooperative agreements; rural communities where small farms are concentrated.
Who is hurt
Taxpayers funding the new $25 million annual authorization; larger farm operations that remain outside the small-farm definition and do not benefit from the new grants or targeted assistance; USDA agencies that must dedicate staff liaisons and administrative resources to the new office, potentially diverting attention from other priorities; state agencies that must free up at least half of a designated coordinator's time for these new duties, which could strain smaller state offices.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that small farms are often underserved by USDA programs designed with larger operations in mind, and that a dedicated office with clear accountability—annual reports to Congress, a complaint hotline, and state-level coordinators—would improve access to existing grant, loan, and technical assistance programs. They contend the modest $25,000 grant cap targets practical needs like equipment repair and land access without creating a large new entitlement, and that similar targeted outreach offices (such as beginning farmer coordinators) have improved program participation in the past.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that creating a new office adds another layer of federal bureaucracy and administrative cost—up to $125 million over five years—without guaranteed measurable improvement in outcomes for small farms. They contend the broad discretion given to the Secretary to define "small" operations and set grant criteria could lead to inconsistent implementation across states, and that existing agencies like the Farm Service Agency and beginning farmer programs already have overlapping mandates that this office may duplicate rather than streamline.
Constitutional context
Congress has broad authority under the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8) to condition and direct appropriations for agricultural support programs, and creating an executive branch office with defined duties falls within Congress's power to structure federal agencies under the Necessary and Proper Clause. This bill raises no significant constitutional question, as it does not involve regulation of private conduct, delegation of major rulemaking authority, or property takings.
Checks and balances
Congress creates the office and sets its authorized funding levels and duties by statute, while the Secretary of Agriculture retains discretion over appointments, grant criteria, and the definition of "small" operations, with oversight maintained through mandatory annual reports to House and Senate agriculture committees.
Historical precedent
USDA has previously created similar targeted offices and coordinator positions, such as the State Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinators established under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, which this bill explicitly references and allows to overlap with the new small farms coordinator role.