Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Equal Treatment for Farmers Act”.
Equal Treatment for Farmers Act
A BILL
To strike references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Federal law, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Striking references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Federal law
Section 524(a)(3) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(a)(3)) is amended—
by striking subparagraph (C); and
by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively.
Section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by striking paragraph (11); and
by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively;
in subsection (d)(5)(C)(i)—
by striking subclause (II); and
by redesignating subclauses (III) and (IV) as subclauses (II) and (III), respectively; and
in subsection (i)(3)(A)(ii)(II)—
in the subclause heading, by striking “Beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged” and inserting “Beginning and veteran”; and
by striking “beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged” and inserting “beginning and veteran”.
The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) is amended—
in section 304 (7 U.S.C. 1924)—
in subsection (d)(1), by striking “and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers”; and
in subsection (e)(2), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher or a”;
in section 310B(e) (7 U.S.C. 1932(e))—
by striking paragraph (11); and
by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively;
in section 310E (7 U.S.C. 1935)—
in subsection (d)(4)—
in subparagraph (A), by adding “or” at the end;
by striking subparagraph (B);
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); and
in subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, by striking “; and” at the end; and
in subsection (e)—
in paragraph (1), by adding “and” at the end;
by striking paragraph (2); and
by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2);
in section 310F (7 U.S.C. 1936)—
in the section heading, by striking “and socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher”;
in subsection (a), by striking “or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher (as defined in section 355(e)(2))”;
in subsection (b)(1), by striking “or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher”;
in subsection (c)(1), by striking “or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher”; and
in subsection (f), by striking “and Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher” each place it appears;
in section 310I (7 U.S.C. 1936c)—
in subsection (b)(2), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (as defined in subsection (a) of section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279)) or”; and
by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
“(d) Preference—In making loans under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities in States that have adopted a statute consisting of an enactment or adoption of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, as approved and recommended for enactment in all States by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 2010, that relend to owners of heirs property (as defined in that Act).”
in section 333B(c)(3)(A) (7 U.S.C. 1983b(c)(3)(A)), by striking “, including, as appropriate, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers (as defined in section 355(e)(2))”;
in section 352(c) (7 U.S.C. 2000(c)), by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
“(4) The period of occupancy allowed the prior owner of homestead property under this section shall be the period requested in writing by the prior owner, except that such period shall not exceed 5 years.”
by striking section 355 (7 U.S.C. 2003).
Section 5413 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2008x) is amended—
in subsection (b)(1)(C), by striking “and socially disadvantaged”; and
in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking “and socially disadvantaged”.
Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279) is amended—
in subsection (a)—
by striking paragraphs (5) and (6); and
by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (5);
in subsection (b), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers and ranchers,” and inserting “veteran farmers and ranchers”;
in subsection (c)—
in the subsection heading, by striking “socially disadvantaged and”;
in paragraph (1)—
in subparagraph (A)—
in clause (i), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and”; and
in clause (ii), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and”;
by striking subparagraphs (E) and (F); and
by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (E);
in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and”;
in paragraph (4)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and”;
in subparagraph (D)—
by striking clauses (iii) and (iv);
by redesignating clauses (v) through (vii) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively;
in clause (iv), as so redesignated, by striking “and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers”; and
in clause (v), as so redesignated, by striking “clause (vi)” and inserting “clause (iv)”; and
in subparagraph (F), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers or”; and
by striking paragraph (5);
in subsection (f)—
by striking paragraph (2);
by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (7) as paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and
in paragraph (3), as so redesignated—
in subparagraph (A), by adding “or” at the end;
by striking subparagraph (B); and
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B);
in subsection (g)(2), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers or”;
by striking subsections (h) and (j);
by redesignating subsections (i), (k), and (l) as subsections (h), (i), and (j), respectively;
in subsection (i), as so redesignated—
in paragraph (1)(A), by striking “and members of socially disadvantaged groups”; and
in paragraph (2)—
in subparagraph (A), by striking “and members of socially disadvantaged groups”;
in subparagraph (B), by adding “and” at the end;
by striking subparagraphs (C) and (E);
by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
in subparagraph (C), as so redesignated, by striking “; and” and inserting a period; and
in subsection (j)(4)(A), as redesignated by paragraph (7)—
in clause (i), by adding “and” at the end;
by striking clause (ii); and
by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii).
The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) is amended—
in section 226B (7 U.S.C. 6934)—
in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3);
in subsection (b)(1)(B)—
by striking clause (iii); and
by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively;
in subsection (c)—
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “veteran farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers” and inserting “and veteran farmers and ranchers”;
in paragraph (1), by striking “socially disadvantaged,”; and
in paragraph (5), by striking “veteran farmers or ranchers, and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers” and inserting “and veteran farmers or ranchers”;
by striking subsection (d); and
by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and
by striking section 305 (7 U.S.C. 2279a).
Section 201 of division HH of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117–328; 136 Stat. 5971) is repealed.
Section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) is amended—
in subsection (k)(2), by striking “, beginning, or socially disadvantaged” and inserting “or beginning”; and
in subsection (l)(3)—
in the paragraph heading, by striking “veteran, and socially disadvantaged” and inserting “and veteran”; and
by striking “, beginning, and socially disadvantaged” and inserting “and beginning”.
Section 405(c) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7625(c)) is amended by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers,”.
Section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8111) is amended—
in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (9); and
in subsection (c)—
in paragraph (2)(B), by amending clause (v) to read as follows:
“(v) the participation rate by beginning farmers or ranchers (as defined in accordance with section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)));”
in paragraph (5), by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
“(B) Amount of establishment payments—The amount of an establishment payment under this subsection shall be not more than 50 percent of the costs of establishing an eligible perennial crop covered by the contract but not to exceed $500 per acre, including—
“(i) the cost of seeds and stock for perennials;
“(ii) the cost of planting the perennial crop, as determined by the Secretary; and
“(iii) in the case of nonindustrial private forestland, the costs of site preparation and tree planting.”
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.) is amended—
in section 1101(d) (7 U.S.C. 8711(d)), by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
“(2) Exception—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a farm owned by a limited resource farmer or rancher, as defined by the Secretary.”
in section 1302(d) (7 U.S.C. 8752(d)), by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
“(2) Exception—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a farm owned by a limited resource farmer or rancher, as defined by the Secretary.”
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9001 et seq.) is amended—
in section 1114(d)(2) (7 U.S.C. 9014(d)(2))—
by striking subparagraph (A); and
by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (A) through (C), respectively;
in section 1404(c)(4) (7 U.S.C. 9054(c)(4)), by striking “veteran, or socially disadvantaged” and inserting “or veteran”; and
in section 1501(a)(1)(A) (7 U.S.C. 9081(a)(1)(A))—
in clause (i), by adding “or” at the end;
by striking clause (ii); and
by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii).
Subclause (III) of section 8(b)(5)(B)(iii) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5)(B)(iii)) is amended to read as follows:
“(III) Nominations—To be eligible for nomination and election to the applicable county, area, or local committee, as determined by the Secretary, an agricultural producer shall be located within the area under the jurisdiction of a county, area, or local committee, and participate or cooperate in programs administered within that area.”
Section 402A(b) of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2202a(b)) is amended by striking “, a socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher (as defined in subsection (a) of section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279),”.
Section 623 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 1985 note) is repealed.
The Food Security Act of 1985 (Public Law 99–198; 99 Stat. 1504) is amended—
in section 1201(a) (16 U.S.C. 3801(a))—
by striking paragraph (23); and
by redesignating paragraphs (24) through (27) as paragraphs (23) through (26), respectively;
in section 1231C(b)(3)(E) (16 U.S.C. 3831c(b)(3)(E))—
in the subparagraph heading, by striking “socially disadvantaged,”;
in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “socially disadvantaged,”; and
in clause (i)(II), by striking “socially disadvantaged,”;
in section 1240B(d)(4)(A) (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(4)(A)), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher,”;
in section 1241(h) (16 U.S.C. 3841(h)), by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
“(1) Assistance
“(A) Fiscal years 2009 through 2018—Of the funds made available for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2018 to carry out the environmental quality incentives program and the acres made available for each of such fiscal years to carry out the conservation stewardship program, the Secretary shall use, to the maximum extent practicable, 5 percent to assist beginning farmers or ranchers.
“(B) Fiscal years 2019 through 2031—Of the funds made available for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2031 to carry out the environmental quality incentives program under subchapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D and the conservation stewardship program under subchapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle D, the Secretary shall use, to the maximum extent practicable, 5 percent to assist beginning farmers or ranchers.”
in section 1271E(d) (16 U.S.C. 3871e(d)), by striking “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers,”.
Sec. 3 Prohibition on racial and gender preferences in USDA programs
Notwithstanding any other law, no program of the Department of Agriculture may provide any preference, priority consideration, or enhanced benefits to any individual or entity on the basis of race or gender.