Small Farm Conservation Act

This bill would change the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a federal farm conservation program, by requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to set up a small farm subprogram in each state. For fiscal years 2027 through 2031, at least 30 percent of EQIP payment funds would go to this subprogram, with 35 percent of that used for technical help and staffing and 65 percent paid directly to small-scale producers. Eligibility would be limited to farms no larger than the state's median farm size and classified as small farms. The bill would also set a $2,500 minimum for EQIP payments, raise soil health payments by 50 percent for operations of 50 acres or less, and require state and national coordinators, outreach materials in multiple languages, and a report to Congress by May 1, 2030.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Michael F. Bennet Democrat sponsor
• 11 cosponsors