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119-s-1237119th CongressWALLET

New Producer Economic Security Act

Sponsored By: Senator Smith, Tina [D-MN]

Introduced

Summary

New Producer Economic Security Program would create a stand-alone USDA program in the Farm Service Agency to expand land access, capital, and market support for new and disadvantaged farmers. It focuses on grants, loans, down-payment aid, land and title work, and hands-on technical assistance tied to farm viability and succession.

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  • Families and new producers: Qualified beneficiaries — natural persons or people who regularly manage or work on a farm — could get direct grants, long-term and interim loans, down-payment help, and support for land purchase, remediation, and succession. Individuals may qualify if their income is at or below 200 percent of the national poverty level or below one-half of their county's median household income.
  • Tribal communities and land stewardship: The program gives priority to projects that include tribal land protections, a right of first refusal near tribal lands where specified, resale-restriction tools to keep land in agriculture, and conservation tied to Natural Resources Conservation Service standards.
  • Eligible entities and local groups: Public and private eligible entities could receive grants, cooperative agreements, capitalization loans, or create revolving loan funds. Ownership of authorized entities would be limited to 25 individuals and recipients generally must obligate funds for a project within five years. The Secretary would set selection rules with input from a stakeholder committee.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

New producer program and funding

If enacted, the Secretary of Agriculture would create a competitive New Producer Economic Security Program at FSA. The program would fund groups with grants, loans, cooperative agreements, or capitalization to help new producers. It would let those groups give direct help for land, down payments, closing costs, interest subsidies, and technical assistance. The bill would direct the Secretary to prioritize projects that help producers directly, protect Tribal land interests, use resale limits, and include technical help. The Secretary would convene a stakeholder committee within 180 days to advise on funding and selection.

Which land the program covers

If enacted, the program would cover many kinds of land, including agricultural, private, urban, public, trust, common, noncontiguous parcels, and shoreline or intertidal areas. Land defined as a "natural area" under applicable regulation would not be eligible. The rules aim to broaden the types of properties that can get help while protecting certain natural areas from program use.

Who can apply and who qualifies

If enacted, the bill would define who is a "qualified beneficiary" and which organizations may get program funds. A qualified beneficiary must be a natural person who manages or works on the farm and meet tests like less than 10 years operating, only farming rented land, income at or below 200% of the poverty level, or below half the county median. The bill would limit authorized legal entities to 25 or fewer natural-person owners and bar multilayered subsidiary ownership. Eligible entities would include Tribes, certified community lenders, nonprofits, cooperatives, colleges, and certain Farm Credit institutions, but foreign-based or foreign-owned corporations would be excluded.

Application rules and repayment duties

If enacted, groups that apply would have to give the Secretary specific information showing projects serve qualified beneficiaries and support long-term viability. Applicants must include plans for Tribal notice when future land sales apply and for evaluation, data, and reporting. Eligible entities could subcontract necessary services. Recipients that violate program terms would have to repay assistance to the Secretary. Recipients must obligate funds for a covered project within five years unless the Secretary agrees otherwise, though long-term land projects are exempt from 2 C.F.R. §200.311.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Smith, Tina [D-MN]

MN • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 2/24/2026

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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