“To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 with respect to emergency assistance for farm workers, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section revises the emergency assistance for farm workers program (previously authorizing discretionary grants by the Secretary of Agriculture to public agencies and certain private organizations for low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers during emergencies or disasters) to require the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, to make grants to eligible farm worker organizations beginning in FY2026 and each succeeding fiscal year during any covered disaster. Eligible farm worker organizations are farm worker membership-based organizations or 501(c)(3) organizations with experience providing support or relief services to farm workers, including migrant or seasonal farm workers (defined as individuals who performed farm work for wages during any consecutive 12-month period within the preceding 24-month period and received at least half their income from, or worked at least half their time in, farm work—no longer subject to the prior income limit of the higher of the poverty level or 70% of the lower living standard income level). Grant funds, which remain available until expended, may be used to (1) provide emergency relief, including direct distributions, for losses and damages due to a covered disaster; (2) build capacity to provide such relief; (3) build resiliency in farm worker communities against future disasters; (4) provide infrastructure support, including shelter; and (5) deliver emergency services deemed appropriate by the Secretary. The section further requires the Secretary to develop and execute a promotional plan prior to and during grant distributions and to consult with eligible farm worker organizations. "Covered disaster" encompasses specified adverse weather events (e.g., drought, wildfire, hurricane, flood), unexpected health crises (e.g., pandemics), and other events causing farm workers to lose income, be unable to work, or stay home or return home in anticipation of work shortages.