Sec. 12209. Office of Small Farms

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Subtitle D of title VII of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after section 7404 ( 7 U.S.C. 6934a ) the following: The term Director means the Director of the Office of Small Farms established under subsection (b)(2)(A). The term State office means— a State office of— the Farm Service Agency; the Natural Resources Conservation Service; or the rural development mission area; or a regional office of the Risk Management Agency. The Secretary shall establish in the Department the Office of Small Farms.

The Secretary shall establish in the Office of Small Farms the position of Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Secretary shall designate in each agency, office, and mission area described in subparagraph

(B)a National Small Farms Coordinator. The agencies, offices, and mission areas referred to in subparagraph

(A)are— the Farm Service Agency; the Natural Resources Conservation Service; the Rural Business-Cooperative Service; the Rural Utilities Service; the Forest Service; the Agricultural Marketing Service; and any other agency, office, or mission area of the Department that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. The Director— shall, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, coordinate with the relevant agencies, offices, and mission areas of the Department— to examine and update the definitions of small farm , small-sized farm , small agricultural operation , small-scale farmer , small farmer , and other similar terms, such that the definitions include a limited resource farmer, rancher, or forest landowner or a farm, a ranch, or forest land owned or operated by a limited resource farmer, rancher, or forest landowner; to examine, update, and streamline the definition of limited resource farmer or rancher , such that the definition includes— farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners receiving assistance under— the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq. ); title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq. ); the low-income home energy assistance program established under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 ( 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq. ); or any other need-based Federal or State assistance programs; and other economically distressed farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners, as determined by the Secretary; and to create a list of Department programs with set-asides, targeted funding, or priorities for small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; shall advise the Secretary and coordinate activities of the Department regarding programs, policies, and issues relating to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; shall track application and participation rates of small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, including a breakdown of limited resource farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, for the programs identified under paragraph (1)(C); shall determine whether to approve a plan submitted by a State small farms coordinator under subsection (f)(3)(A)(ii); shall facilitate interagency and interdepartmental collaboration on issues relating to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners at the national level; shall— regularly review Department programs and policies and identify statutes, regulations, policies, and guidance that disadvantage small farm, ranch, or forest operation participation; recommend changes to ensure that those programs and policies adequately serve small farms, ranches, and forest operations; and regularly review and update the list created under paragraph (1)(C), in coordination with the relevant agencies, offices, and mission areas of the Department; shall regularly review Department research agendas and proposed research agendas on topics that are of special interest to small farms, ranches, and forest operations; shall establish a program to provide grants of not more than $25,000, through the authority under subsection (e), a State small farms coordinator designated under subsection (f)(1)(A), or both, to operators of small farms, ranches, and forest operations for equipment and infrastructure repairs and upgrades, uninsured losses, business planning and market development assistance, conservation practice adoption, down payments for land acquisition, and such other purposes as the Secretary determines to be appropriate; shall, not later than December 31, 2025, and every 2 years thereafter, submit to the Secretary a report that contains a summary of the reviews and recommendations described in paragraphs

(6)and

(7)and the total amount of grants awarded under paragraph

(8)to small farms, ranches, and forest operations by State, which the Secretary shall make publicly available on the website of the Department; and shall carry out other duties to improve access to, and participation in, programs of the Department by small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. Each National Small Farms Coordinator shall— coordinate with the Office of Small Farms and the other National Small Farms Coordinators to develop and implement new strategies for outreach to and education of small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; coordinate within the agency, office, or mission area of the National Small Farms Coordinator on issues and outreach relating to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; and assist the Director in tracking application and participation rates pursuant to subsection (c)(3) within the agency, office, or mission area of the National Small Farms Coordinator. In carrying out the duties under subsections

(c)and (d), the Director may enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 )), cooperative extension services (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 ( 7 U.S.C. 3103 )), or a nonprofit organization— to develop educational materials; to conduct workshops, courses, training, or certified vocational training; to conduct mentoring activities; or to provide grants under subsection (c)(8). The Director, in consultation with State food and agriculture councils and directors of State offices, shall designate in each State a State small farms coordinator from among the employees of State offices. The employee of a State office designated to be a State small farms coordinator may be the same employee designated to be the State beginning farmer and rancher coordinator under section 7404(c). To be designated as a State small farms coordinator, an employee shall— be familiar with issues relating to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; and have the ability to coordinate with other Federal departments and agencies. The Secretary shall develop a training plan to provide to each State small farms coordinator knowledge of programs and services available from the Department for small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, taking into consideration the needs of all types of production methods. A State small farms coordinator— shall coordinate technical assistance at the State level to assist small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in accessing programs of the Department; shall develop and submit to the Director for approval a State plan to improve the coordination, delivery, and efficacy of programs of the Department to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, taking into consideration the needs of all types of production methods, at each county and area office in the State; shall oversee implementation of an approved State plan described in clause (ii); may facilitate interagency and interdepartmental collaboration on issues relating to small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners at the State or regional level; shall work with outreach coordinators in the State offices to ensure appropriate information about technical assistance is available at outreach events and activities; shall coordinate partnerships and joint outreach efforts with other organizations and government agencies serving small farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners; and may provide grants under subsection (c)(8), in accordance with criteria established by the Director. Not less than 50 percent of the duties of an employee designated to be a State small farms coordinator shall be the duties described in subparagraph

(A)or other duties relating to small farms, ranches, and forest operations. Out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Secretary for grants under subsection (c)(8) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter, to remain available until expended. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for grants under subsection (c)(8) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029, to remain available until expended. . Section 226B(e)(2) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 6934(e)(2) ) is amended— by striking subparagraph (A); and by redesignating subparagraphs

(B)through

(D)as subparagraphs

(A)through (C), respectively.

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