§2204i Reports on Land Access and Farmland Ownership Data Collection

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture, working with the Chief Economist, must send Congress and post a public report by December 20, 2019. The report must explain the problems that stop new farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers from getting or using farmland; measure how federal programs (like easements, land transition, and loans) help with access, tenure, and passing farms to the next owner; and list what regulatory, operational, or legal changes are needed to make access, tenure, and transitions better. The Secretary must also collect data and publish a report at least once every 3 years on who owns and uses farmland and how new and socially disadvantaged farmers enter and keep farms. The work must include trend reports, surveys (including a follow-up survey after each Census of Agriculture with results public no later than 3 years after the previous Census), and directions for the National Agricultural Statistics Service to add questions about non-farming owners buying farmland as investments, how ownership trends affect new and disadvantaged farmers, land held with undivided interests and no managers, and effects by race, gender, ethnicity, and region. Up to $3,000,000 is authorized each year for fiscal years 2019 through 2023 to carry out this work, available until spent. Definitions: beginning farmers and ranchers — new or early-stage farmers (defined elsewhere); socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers — farmers who have faced social disadvantage (defined elsewhere).