July 15, 2025
Ms. Baldwin (for herself, Ms. Ernst, Ms. Smith, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Boozman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to reauthorize the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Farmers First Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network
Section 7522 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 5936) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (b)(1)(A), by inserting , including crisis lines
before the semicolon at the end;
(2)
in subsection (d), by striking $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023
and inserting $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030
; and
(3)
by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
(e) Referrals to providers
As part of the efforts of the recipient of a grant under subsection (a) to connect individuals to behavioral health counseling and wellness support and to ensure individuals have access to a comprehensive scope of mental health and substance use treatments and supports, when applicable, the grant recipient may establish referral relationships with—
(1)
certified community behavioral health clinics described in section 223 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 1396a note; Public Law 113–93);
(2)
health centers (as defined in section 330(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(a)));
(3)
rural health clinics (as defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)));
(4)
Federally qualified health centers (as defined in that section); and
(5)
critical access hospitals (as defined in section 1861(mm) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm))).