H.R. 1230 — AG VETS Act

This section establishes the short title as the “Agriculture Grants for Veterans Education and Training Services Act” or the “AG VETS Act.”

This section establishes the Agriculture Grants for Veteran Education and Training Services program under title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, under which the Secretary of Agriculture must award competitive grants to eligible entities to establish and enhance farming and ranching opportunities for veterans. As background, the program is intended to help military veterans develop the knowledge and skills needed to enter or expand agricultural businesses. The section makes the following changes: (1) it authorizes grants to 8 categories of eligible entities, including cooperative extension services, land-grant colleges and universities under 7 U.S.C. § 3103, non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities, State departments of agriculture, nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations, and combinations of 2 or more of those entities; (2) it limits grant uses to training and classroom education on farm and ranch business operations and management, curriculum development for veteran farmers and ranchers, education and field experiences, and other activities identified by the Secretary to increase the number of veterans pursuing agriculture; and (3) it requires non-Federal matching funds of at least 100 percent of the grant amount. The section authorizes $5 million for each fiscal year 2026 through 2030, for a total of $25 million over 5 years.