This bill expands the authority of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical assistance for farmer-to-farmer networks. USDA must use annual appropriations provided for Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation operations to implement this program.
A farmer-to-farmer network means any affiliation or association of farmers that share information, technical assistance, or any other type of mutually beneficial support.
Under the bill, USDA may enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to (1) provide assistance to farmer-to-farmer networks to build network capacity, connect farmers with mentors or group learning opportunities, and support goal setting; (2) increase technical assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners who use different farming models, practices, and scales; (3) establish and steward the networks; and (4) establish reporting requirements for these activities.
Those eligible for the program include nonprofit entities, farmer-to-farmer networks, tribal entities, local governments, institutions of higher education, and states. USDA must prioritize agreements with entities that seek to meet the specific needs of certain farmers, ranchers, and forest owners who are historically underserved or operating in high-poverty areas.
The bill also provides for subawards to plan and conduct events, as well as to identify and develop innovative activities, in order to increase farmer access to farmer-to-farmer assistance.