Farmer to Farmer Education Act of 2026

This bill would authorize the Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance for farmer-to-farmer networks through cooperative agreements with nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, local governments, and educational institutions. These agreements would support networks in sharing information, mentoring farmers, and increasing technical assistance for various farming models and scales. The bill proposes prioritizing support for historically underserved producers and those in high-poverty areas while allowing for subawards to fund events and innovative activities that expand farmer access to peer-to-peer learning.

This bill affects farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, particularly those who are historically underserved or operating in high-poverty areas, by increasing access to peer-to-peer technical assistance and mentoring. The Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are responsible for implementing the program and managing cooperative agreements. Eligible entities that may receive funding to facilitate these networks include nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, local and state governments, and institutions of higher education.

• Expansion of USDA technical assistance for farmer networks. The bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance for farmer-to-farmer networks, defined as associations of farmers sharing information and mutually beneficial support.
• Cooperative agreements for network capacity and mentorship. The USDA may enter into agreements with eligible entities to build network capacity, connect farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and support goal setting. These agreements also aim to increase technical assistance for various farming models and scales.
• Prioritization of underserved and high-poverty areas. The bill requires the USDA to prioritize agreements with entities that address the specific needs of historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, as well as those operating in high-poverty areas.
• Authorization of subawards for outreach and innovation. The legislation provides for subawards to plan events and develop innovative activities intended to increase farmer access to peer-to-peer assistance.
• Funding and eligibility requirements. The program is to be funded through annual appropriations for Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation operations. Eligible participants include nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, local and state governments, and institutions of higher education.

The bill expands the existing authority of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical assistance and requires the use of annual appropriations from the Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation operations to implement the program.

This bill aims to expand the Department of Agriculture's authority to provide technical assistance through farmer-to-farmer networks, focusing on building network capacity and increasing support for diverse farming models. It prioritizes cooperative agreements that address the needs of historically underserved producers and those operating in high-poverty areas.