§5177a Emergency grants to assist low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture can give grants to public agencies or to nonprofit groups with 501(c)(3) tax status that have experience helping low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Grants can be made when a local, State, or national emergency or disaster causes those workers to lose income, be unable to work, or to stay home or return home because of expected work shortages. Help can include whatever emergency services the Secretary finds necessary and appropriate. A "low-income migrant or seasonal farmworker" means a person who, in any consecutive 12‑month period within the past 24 months, did farm work for pay; got at least one-half of their income or spent at least one-half of their work time in farm work; and whose family income for that 12‑month period does not exceed the higher of the poverty level or 70 percent of the lower living standard income level. Congress may appropriate whatever sums are needed to fund these grants.