ST. PAUL — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), and Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced the New Producer Economic Security Act, a bipartisan bill to help bring the next generation into family farming. The bill addresses the issue of Minnesota’s aging farmer and rancher population by giving new farmers and ranchers the tools they need to succeed through grants, financial aid, and training. It ensures that the support goes where it is needed most.
“The average age of a producer in the United States is 58, and in Minnesota it’s 57. To keep Minnesota’s agriculture economy thriving, we need to invest in the next generation of farmers,” said Senator Smith. “This is a matter of national security, food security, and the strength and vitality of rural America. This legislation would help remove barriers for new and beginning farmers as they try to start up their businesses.”
The bill establishes a pilot program within the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to increase access to land, capital, and markets for new and beginning farmers in Minnesota. The program would help secure the domestic food system and strengthen Minnesota’s farm workforce by giving the next generation of farmers the tools they need to succeed. The bill is a meaningful opportunity to create lasting policy solutions to the out-of-reach opportunities for new and beginning family farms, ultimately jeopardizing our country’s future.
“As a young, beginning farmer, I know all too well that the next generation of producers face significant barriers in accessing the land, capital, and markets we need to start, grow, and sustain our farms,” said Taylor Olson, owner and operator of Wild Oats Farm in Taylor Falls, MN. “The New Producer Economic Security Act tackles these challenges head-on by supporting locally-led projects that will make a real difference for young farmers like me in Minnesota and across the country.”
Senator Smith has previously prioritized expanding opportunities for the next generation of farmers and ranchers by introducing the Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act, the reauthorization of USDA grants programs targeted at new farmers, and Farm Bill negotiations. The bipartisan New Producer Economic Security Act continues the Senator’s commitment to uplifting rural communities and keeping Minnesotans safe and healthy.
This bill would:
- Make grants to and enter into cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments, non-profit service providers, community lending institutions, farmer cooperatives, and other eligible entities to strengthen land, capital, and market access outcomes for new farmers, ranchers, and forest owners.
- Provide funding for direct assistance and services to help next-generation farmers and ranchers afford and acquire land, cover closing costs and down payments, capitalize infrastructure and site improvements, acquire business technical assistance and farm viability training, and other activities.
- Prioritize projects that provide direct financial assistance to producers, involve collaborative networks or partnerships, facilitate farmland transitioning from existing to new producers, and incorporate other factors that will compound the program’s impact.
- Establish a stakeholder committee to develop a process for evaluating applications and distributing funds, ensuring the program is responsive to farmers and ranchers.
Full text of the bill can be found HERE.
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