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
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
Section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (13) as paragraphs (6) through (14), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
(5) Food hub. The term food hub means a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers, who are primarily local and regional producers, to strengthen the ability of such producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale, retail, and institutional demands.
(2) in subsection (b)(4), by inserting , regional food chain coordination, after collaboration;
(3) in subsection (d)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking 2023 and inserting 2031; and
(B) in paragraph (6)—
(i) in subparagraph (B)—
(I) by redesignating clauses (vii) and (viii) as clauses (viii) and (ix), respectively; and
(II) by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
(vii) a food hub;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) and (E) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
(D) Simplified applications
(i) In general. The Secretary shall establish a simplified application form for eligible entities described in subparagraph (B) that—
(I) request less than $100,000; and
(II) choose from the project categories described in clause (ii), which shall include a specific, limited set of key activities with predefined requirements established by the Secretary.
(ii) Project categories. The Secretary shall establish a simplified application form for the following project categories but may include additional project categories as necessary:
(I) Direct-to-consumer projects. In the case of a direct-to-consumer project, an application form described in clause (i) may be available for the following categories of projects:
(aa) An outreach and promotion project.
(bb) A project to provide funding for farmers market manager staff time.
(cc) A project to provide vendor training.
(dd) A planning and design project.
(ee) A data collection and evaluation project.
(II) Local and regional food markets and enterprise projects. In the case of a local and regional food market and enterprise project, an application form described in clause (i) may be available for the following categories of projects:
(aa) A food hub feasibility study project.
(bb) A project to provide funding for regional food chain coordination staff time.
(cc) A project to provide technical assistance.
(dd) A data collection and evaluation project.
(ee) A project to support the purchase of special purpose equipment.
(4) in subsection (e)—
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)—
(i) by redesignating clauses (x) and (xi) as clauses (xi) and (xii), respectively; and
(ii) by inserting after clause (ix) the following:
(x) a food hub;
; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking 2019 through 2023 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: “2027 through 2031 to support partnerships—
(i) to plan a local or regional food system;
(ii) to implement a local or regional food system plan;
(iii) to develop and implement a regional chain coordination project; and
(iv) to develop and implement a regional outreach, technical assistance, and evaluation project.
(5) in subsection (f)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking subsection (d); or and inserting subsection (d)(5);;
(ii) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
(B) are eligible to submit an application in accordance with subsection (d)(6)(D); or
; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
(3) Stakeholder input. In developing the simplified application and reporting process under this subsection, the Secretary shall engage with stakeholders to receive input on how the simplified application and reporting process can be streamlined for eligible entities without affecting program integrity.
(6) in subsection (h)(2), by striking this section and inserting the Agricultural Act of 2026; and
(7) in subsection (i)(3)(B)—
(A) by striking Of the funds and inserting the following:
(i) In general. Of the funds
; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
(ii) Simplified applications. Of the funds made available for grants under subsection (d)(6) for a fiscal year, not less than 10 percent, and not more than 50 percent, shall be used to provide grants to eligible entities that submit an application in accordance with subsection (d)(6)(D).
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