Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4848 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4848

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to improve assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 22, 2026

Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

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A BILL

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to improve assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers, 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 ``Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. OUTREACH AND ASSISTANCE FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED, VETERAN, AND BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279) is amended-- (1) in subsection (c)-- (A) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``2027 through 2031''; (B) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by inserting ``, including by providing appropriate interpretation and translation services when those services will be useful in expanding meaningful access to Department programs or technical assistance services, as determined by the Secretary'' before the period at the end; and (C) in paragraph (4)-- (i) in subparagraph (E)(i), by striking ``3'' and inserting ``4''; and (ii) in subparagraph (F)-- (I) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; (II) by striking ``priority to nongovernmental'' and inserting the following: ``priority to-- ``(i) nongovernmental''; and (III) by adding at the end the following: ``(ii) eligible entities that will provide appropriate interpretation and translation services as part of the provision of outreach and technical assistance described in that subparagraph, when those services will be useful in expanding meaningful access to Department programs or technical assistance services, as determined by the Secretary.''; (2) in subsection (d)-- (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2019 through 2023'' and inserting ``2027 through 2031''; (B) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ``including by providing appropriate interpretation and translation services when those services will be useful in expanding meaningful access to Department programs or technical assistance services, as determined by the Secretary,'' before ``relating to''; and (C) in paragraph (6)-- (i) in subparagraph (F)(iii), by striking ``and'' at the end; (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (H); and (iii) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following: ``(G) the inclusion of plans to provide appropriate interpretation and translation services when those services will be useful in expanding meaningful access to Department programs or technical assistance services, as determined by the Secretary.''; and (3) in subsection (l)(2), by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2031''.

SEC. 3. TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

Section 2501A(c) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279-1(c)) is amended-- (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: ``(2) 5-year requirement.--Not later than March 31, 2028, and every 5 years thereafter, for each county and State in the United States, the Secretary shall-- ``(A) compile data on-- ``(i) the number of base acres of each program crop owned by farmers or ranchers; ``(ii) payment yields for each program crop made by farmers or ranchers; ``(iii) the number of fee waivers and premium reductions provided to farmers or ranchers under the noninsured crop disaster assistance program established by section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333); ``(iv) the number of loans guaranteed by the Secretary to farmers or ranchers; ``(v) the allocation of grazing permits by the Forest Service to farmers or ranchers; and ``(vi) the race, ethnicity, and gender of each farmer or rancher under clauses (i) through (v), subject to appropriate privacy protections, as determined by the Secretary; and ``(B) organize the data compiled under clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A) according to the categories described in clause (vi) of that subparagraph.''; (3) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by striking ``paragraph (1)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (1) and (2)''; (4) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)-- (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as clauses (i) through (iii), respectively, and indenting appropriately; (B) by striking the paragraph designation and heading and all that follows through ``Using'' and inserting the following: ``(4) Reports.-- ``(A) In general.--Using''; (C) in subparagraph (A) (as so redesignated), in the matter preceding clause (i) (as so redesignated), by striking ``under paragraph (1)'' and inserting the following: ``under-- ``(i) paragraph (1); and ``(ii) in a separate report, under paragraph (2). ``(B) Contents.--Each report submitted under subparagraph (A) shall contain data''; and (D) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), in the matter preceding clause (i) (as so redesignated), by striking ``that paragraph'' and inserting ``paragraphs (1) and (2), as applicable,''; and (5) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated), by striking ``the report described in paragraph (3)'' and inserting ``the reports described in paragraph (4)''. <all>