S. 5526
Agricultural Act of 2026
Sponsor: John Boozman · 0 cosponsors
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Text of the bill
I Commodities
A Commodity Policy
B Dairy
C Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance
D Administration
II Conservation
A Conservation Reserve Program
B Environmental Quality Incentives Program
C Conservation Stewardship Program
D Funding and administration
E Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
F Regional Conservation Partnership Program
G Forest Conservation Easement Program
H Other Conservation programs
III Trade
A Food for Peace Act
B Agricultural Trade Act of 1978
C Other agricultural trade laws
D Reports
IV Nutrition
A Supplemental nutrition assistance program
B Commodity distribution programs
C Miscellaneous
V Credit
A Farm Credit System
B Farm ownership and operating loans
C Administrative provisions
VI Rural Development
A Rural Electrification Act of 1936
I Rural broadband access
II Additional amendments
B Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
C Miscellaneous
I Rural care economy
II Other miscellaneous provisions
(a) Definitions. In this section:
(1) Eligible entity. The term eligible entity means—
(A) a public, private, or cooperative organization organized on a for-profit or nonprofit basis, including a small establishment and very small establishment;
(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
(C) a land-grant college or university (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103));
(D) a non-land-grant college of agriculture (as defined in that section); and
(E) a State department of agriculture or other applicable State office with authority over meat and poultry processing and rendering.
(2) Small establishment; very small establishment. The terms small establishment and very small establishment have the meanings given the terms small establishment and very small establishment, respectively, in the final rule entitled Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems (61 Fed. Reg. 38806 (July 25, 1996)) (or successor regulations).
(b) Purposes. The purposes of this section are—
(1) to create more resilient local and regional food systems;
(2) to expand, diversify, and increase resilience in meat and poultry processing and rendering activities;
(3) to increase farmer and rancher access to animal slaughter options;
(4) to improve compliance of processors with livestock and poultry processing statutes (including regulations), including the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.);
(5) to reduce barriers to entry for new meat and poultry processors and renderers;
(6) to establish new, or update, expand, or otherwise improve existing, meat and poultry processing and rendering facilities; and
(7) to support the processing and slaughtering of niche production methods such as halal, kosher, and other specific cultural methods.
(c) Grants
(1) In general. The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to use in accordance with subsection (e).
(2) Maximum amount. The maximum amount of a grant awarded under paragraph (1) shall not exceed $500,000.
(3) Duration. The term of a grant awarded under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 3 years.
(4) Priority. In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to small establishments and very small establishments.
(d) Applicant requirements
(1) Small and very small establishments. In awarding grants under this section to a small establishment or very small establishment that has been in operation for less than 2 years, the Secretary shall ensure the establishment has the financial viability and managerial capacity necessary to carry out the activities described in subsection (e).
(2) Eligible entities. In awarding grants under this section to any eligible entity, the Secretary shall ensure the eligible entity demonstrates experience in carrying out activities in support of the purposes described in subsection (b), including activities described in subsection (e).
(e) Use of funds. An eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant to carry out activities in support of the purposes described in subsection (b), including activities—
(1) to identify and analyze business opportunities, including feasibility studies required for credit worthiness;
(2) to achieve compliance with applicable Federal, State, or local regulations;
(3) to conduct regional, community, and local economic development planning and coordination and leadership development;
(4) to incentivize new, innovative, or mobile enterprises for increasing or improving local and regional meat or poultry processing and rendering;
(5) to implement humane handling infrastructure, including holding space for livestock and poultry prior to slaughter, shade structures, and structures and equipment for humane slaughter;
(6) to develop a feasibility study or business plan for, or carry out any other activity associated with, establishing or expanding a meat or poultry slaughter, processing, or rendering facility;
(7) to purchase equipment that enables the further use or value-added sale of coproducts or byproducts; and
(8) to purchase cold storage and related equipment.
(f) Federal share. The Federal share of the activities carried out using a grant awarded under this section shall not exceed—
(1) 90 percent in the case of a grant in the amount of $100,000 or less; or
(2) 75 percent in the case of a grant in an amount greater than $100,000.
(g) Authorization of appropriations. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
VII Research, Extension, and Related Matters
A National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977
B Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
C Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998
D Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
I Agricultural security
II Miscellaneous provisions
E Other Matters
VIII Forestry
A Forest data modernization
B Forest health and management
I Forest Service management
II State and private partnerships
III Timber innovation
C Forest conservation
D Land designations
E White oak resilience
F Other matters
IX Energy
X Horticulture
A Horticulture marketing and information
B Regulatory reform
XI Crop insurance
XII Miscellaneous
A Livestock
B National security
C Fertilizer
D United States grain standards reauthorization
E Year-Round E15 and RFS reform
F Other miscellaneous provisions