H.R. 7562: Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026

Introduced Feb 12, 20263 cosponsors

Sponsor

Marilyn Strickland

Democrat · WA-10

Bill Progress

IntroducedFeb 12

Committee

Pass House

Pass Senate

Signed

Law

Latest Action · Mar 20, 2026

1/2

Assigned to Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit. for review

Small farms finally get their own office inside USDA

1 min readLast updated March 10, 2026

Why it matters

The bill is not just symbolic: it would authorize grants of up to $25,000 per operator for repairs, uninsured losses, business planning, market development, conservation practices, and even land down payments, while also requiring an anonymous hotline for complaints about access to USDA programs. That could mean real help for smaller producers who are too small to absorb a bad season or hire consultants to chase federal aid, while larger commodity interests may see it as USDA shifting attention and resources toward a constituency that has often been politically visible but administratively overlooked.

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Tracking floor activity — no debate on H.R. 7562 yet. Updates when a legislator speaks on the record.

HR7562 Legislative Journey

2 actions

House: Committee Action

Mar 20, 2026

Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.

House: Committee Action

Feb 12, 2026

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

About the Sponsor

Marilyn Strickland

Democrat, Washington's 10th congressional district · 5 years in Congress

Committees: Armed Services, Transportation and Infrastructure

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Cosponsors (3)

No new cosponsors in 124 days — momentum stalled

All 3 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 3 states: Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina.

3Democrats·3 states

Alma Adams

Democrat · NC

James McGovern

Democrat · MA

Frederica Wilson

Democrat · FL

Committee Sponsors

Agriculture Committee

24D29R

|2 signed51 not yet

2 of 53 committee members cosponsored

Alma Adams

Jim McGovern

22 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents

What laws does H.R. 7562 change?

1 changes

Full Text

Sections Amended

Section 296(b) of Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b))

adding at the end the following: ``(11) The authority of the Secretary to carry out section 229

H.R. 7562 Quick Facts

Cosponsors

Committee: Agriculture
Chamber: House
Policy: Agriculture and Food
Introduced: Feb 12, 2026

Assigned to Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit. for review

Mar 20, 2026

Constituent Resources

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H.R. 7562 Common Questions

How much would small farm grants be under the Office of Small Farms Act?

Grants could be up to $25,000 per operator under the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026 (Section 2(c)).

What counts as a small farm under HR 7562?

Under HR 7562, a small farm, ranch, or forest operation is generally under 180 acres or a USDA-set alternative acreage limit and has less than $350,000 in annual gross cash farm income (Section 2(a)).

Can small farmers get USDA grants for down payments on land?

Yes. Under the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026, eligible operators could receive grants for down payments for land acquisition, subject to the $25,000 cap (Section 2(c)).

Does HR 7562 create an anonymous USDA hotline for small farm complaints?

Yes. According to HR 7562 Section 2(c), the new office must operate an anonymous reporting hotline for problems accessing USDA programs.

What can the small farm grants be used for under the bill?

Under the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026, grants may cover repairs and upgrades, uninsured losses, business planning, market development, conservation practices, and land down payments (Section 2(c)).

How much money would HR 7562 authorize for small farm technical assistance and grants?

HR 7562 authorizes $10 million per year for technical assistance and grants from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 (Section 2(g)).

How much money would the new USDA Office of Small Farms get for administration?

The Office of Small Farms would get $15 million per year for administration for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 under HR 7562 Section 2(g).

Does every state get a USDA small farms coordinator under HR 7562?

Yes. Under the Office of Small Farms Establishment Act of 2026, the Director must designate one State small farms coordinator per State from State office employees (Section 2(e)).

How much of a state small farms coordinator's job must be dedicated to small farms?

At least 50% of the coordinator's duties must be devoted to small farm, ranch, or forest operation work under HR 7562 Section 2(e).

Which USDA agencies would have to appoint small farm liaisons under the bill?

The bill requires liaisons from NRCS, FSA, RMA, Rural Development, NIFA, AMS, ERS, NASS, and the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, among others (Section 2(d)).

Based on H.R. 7562 bill text