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

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must, within 1 year after December 20, 2018, give Congress and the public a report that explains what stops beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers from getting or keeping farmland. The report must describe how federal programs (like conservation easements, land transition, and loan programs) are helping with access, tenure, transition, and succession, and say what regulatory, operational, or legal changes are needed to make things better. The Secretary must also collect data and report at least once every 3 years on farmland ownership, tenure, transition, and how new farmers enter farming. The work must include trend reporting, surveys (including a follow-on survey after each Census of Agriculture with results public no later than 3 years after the previous Census), and require the National Agricultural Statistics Service to ask about land held as real estate investment, effects on new and disadvantaged farmers, use of undivided-interest land, and tenure patterns by race, gender, ethnicity, and region. Up to $3,000,000 is authorized for each fiscal year 2019 through 2023 to carry out these duties, available until spent.