H.R. 7206 — Farm and Family Relief Act

This section delays scheduled state cost-sharing requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food purchase benefits to eligible low-income households. (1) For SNAP benefit costs, amends Section 4(a)(2)(B) by revising phase-in dates to FY2032 (from FY2028) in clause (i); to FY2032 (from FY2028) and FY2029 or FY2030 (from FY2025 or FY2026) in clause (ii)(I); and to FY2033 (from FY2029) in clause (ii)(II); and striking clause (iii). (Thus, the federal government continues to pay 100% of SNAP benefit costs through at least FY2031.) (2) For SNAP administrative costs, amends Section 16(a) to extend full federal reimbursement through FY2028 (from FY2026), with the federal share decreasing to 50% beginning in FY2029 (from FY2027).

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, not later than 90 days after enactment, to make one-time economic assistance payments to producers of eligible commodities (i.e., loan commodities under the Agricultural Act of 2014, excluding graded wool, nongraded wool, mohair, or honey) for the 2025 crop year if expected gross returns per acre—calculated using December 9, 2025, WASDE projected prices times 10-year average yields for major crops (wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, cotton, rice, soybeans) or comparable data for others—are less than expected production costs per acre from 2025 ERS data (or comparable data if unavailable). Payments equal 65% of the product of per-acre economic loss and eligible acres on the farm (planted for harvest, grazing, haying, silage, or skip-row patterns, plus 100% of prevented-planted acres due to drought, flood, other disasters, or uncontrollable conditions), minus any 2025 Farmer Bridge Assistance Program payments. This section applies payment limitation, attribution, and related provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 but limits total payments under this section per person or legal entity (except joint ventures or general partnerships) to $125,000 (or to $250,000 [from $125,000] if at least 75% of average gross income for tax years 2021 through 2023 derives from farming, ranching, or silviculture), separate from annual limits under other programs.

This section appropriates $330 million to the Secretary of Agriculture for block grants to sugar beet cooperatives, which must use the funds solely to make payments to member sugar beet producers for economic losses during the 2025 crop year. The Secretary must establish a per-acre payment rate in consultation with the cooperatives and reduce each cooperative's grant by the total assistance its producer members received under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.

This section establishes a program under which the Secretary of Agriculture provides one-time payments to eligible producers of covered specialty crops (i.e., specialty crops as defined in section 3 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, plus dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, vegetable seed, Christmas trees, culinary and medicinal herbs or spices, honey, hops, maple sap, tea, coffee, turfgrass, grass seed, and other crops determined appropriate by the Secretary) to expand domestic markets or develop new markets for such crops. Payment amounts are calculated based on the producer's sales of covered specialty crops in calendar year 2025, or—for new producers (i.e., those who began producing specialty crops in either of the preceding two crop years without sales due to crop immaturity, in the preceding crop year without a full year of sales, or in the current crop year)—an estimate of 2026 sales supported by a binding sales contract or evidence of planting for 2026 harvest. The maximum payment is $900,000 per eligible producer (which may be reduced pro rata if funds are insufficient); payments are further reduced by any amounts received under the USDA's Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (as described in USDA Release No. 0239.25, December 8, 2025), and no duplicate payments are allowed with respect to the same losses under section 6. Eligible producers include those in the business of producing and selling covered specialty crops with an ownership share and risk exposure, who are U.S. citizens or lawful aliens, entities organized under state law, Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304), or qualifying foreign persons, and whose average adjusted gross income over the prior three tax years is below $900,000 (or meets or exceeds it if at least 75% derives from adjusted gross farm income). The program receives $5 billion in appropriated funds, reduced by amounts obligated under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program; any remaining unobligated balance is rescinded two years after enactment.

This section establishes a program under which the Secretary provides financial assistance to eligible entities for qualified timber losses (i.e., timber-related revenue losses during calendar year 2025 due to market and economic conditions) in the form of (1) a one-time payment or grant not to exceed the lesser of $40,000 or 65% of such losses (reduced by any assistance received under USDA's Farmer Bridge Assistance Program); (2) a one-time loan or loan guarantee not to exceed $5 million (similarly reduced); or (3) both. Eligible entities include U.S. citizens or lawful aliens in the timber business (i.e., growing, producing, harvesting, transporting, or processing timber), entities sharing ownership risk in private U.S. forest land timber production, State-organized partnerships or similar, Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304), or qualifying foreign persons; assistance cannot cover the same losses as under section 5 of the bill. The section appropriates $500 million for the program ($250 million for payments or grants and $250 million for loans or loan guarantees), with authority to prorate awards if funds are insufficient.

This section establishes within the Forest Service an Office of Technology Transfer, headed by a Chief Commercialization Officer reporting to the Deputy Chief for Research and Development, to expand the commercial impact of Forest Service research investments and commercialize technologies supporting the Forest Service mission. (As background, the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 requires federal laboratories, including those of the Forest Service, to promote technology transfer to state and local governments and the private sector, including through Offices of Research and Technology Applications.) The Chief Commercialization Officer must oversee technology transfer funding; represent the Forest Service on the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer and similar entities; coordinate with other Department of Agriculture offices and federal entities; engage private sector entities, including venture capital firms; and coordinate patent protections for Forest Service inventions. This section further directs the Secretary to establish a Forest Service Technology Transfer Working Group—comprising the Deputy Chief for Research and Development, the Chief Commercialization Officer, research station representatives, and others with relevant expertise—to coordinate technology transfer opportunities, issue guidance on Stevenson-Wydler requirements, and disseminate public information on Forest Service technology transfer procedures. The working group must submit annual reports to Congress, beginning one year after enactment, detailing for the preceding five years (1) cooperative research and development agreements under Stevenson-Wydler section 12, (2) partnership intermediary agreements under section 23, (3) licenses and use authorizations for Forest Service patents, and (4) recommendations for changes to support the office. This section provides mandatory funding of $5 million annually from Commodity Credit Corporation funds for FY2026 through FY2031.

This section establishes a domestic market assistance program under the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990 to (1) access, develop, maintain, and expand international markets for U.S. agricultural timber products, including lumber, pulp, and paper; and (2) promote cooperation and information exchange between domestic and international market participants. The program receives $15,000,000 from funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to remain available until expended.

This section terminates duties imposed by Executive Orders 14193, 14194, 14195, and 14257 (and any successor or substantially similar Executive orders) effective on the date of enactment.

This section (1) defines the term "Secretary" as the Secretary of Agriculture for purposes of this Act; and (2) designates amounts provided under this Act as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)). (Thus, such amounts are exempt from discretionary spending limits and any sequestration order required under that Act (i.e., for breaches of those limits).)