Skip to main content
GWGovwatch
CongressBillsCommitteesPresidentMoneyPulseMisconductElectionsMap
Donate

Weekly accountability digest

One email a week with new votes, moving bills, and misconduct updates. No spam.

GW

Govwatch. Public data about Congress, in one place, in plain English.

Built with public data. Not affiliated with the U.S. government.

Explore

  • Officials
  • Legislation
  • Committees
  • Congress Pulse
  • Trending Topics
  • Bipartisan Leaderboard
  • Weekly Digest
  • Misconduct
  • Predictions

Learn

  • How Congress Works
  • How a Bill Becomes Law
  • Campaign Finance 101
  • Glossary

Tools

  • My Representatives
  • Compare Members
  • Bill Watchlist
  • Search
  • District Map
  • Follow the Money
  • Watch Live

Site

  • About
  • Contact
  • Corrections
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Data Sources

Congress.gov API v3
Bills, members, votes
GovInfo API
Floor speeches, reports, bill text
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Campaign finance
VoteView (UCLA)
Ideology scores (DW-NOMINATE)
GovTrack.us
Misconduct data (CC0)
U.S. Census Bureau
District demographics

Data Last Updated

Senate Race Ratings: Less than 1 hour agoHouse Race Ratings: Less than 1 hour agoBills & Votes: 3 hours ago
Support This Project

This site is free. Donations help cover hosting, API fees, and keeping the data fresh.

All data is sourced from official government APIs and public records. This site is for informational purposes only.

© 2026 Govwatch

HR8374Referred to Committee

Equal Treatment for Farmers Act

Share:
Introduced
In Committee
3
Passed One Chamber
4
Passed Both
5
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2026-04-20
Introduced
26
Cosponsors
HR
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

Mark Harris
Mark Harris
Republican · NC · Representative
Votes with party: 92.7% (592 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/H001102

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (26)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

  • Adrian Smith (R-NE-3)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Andrew Ogles (R-TN-5)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Andrew S. Clyde (R-GA-9)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Andy Harris (R-MD-1)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Barry Moore (R-AL-1)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Ben Cline (R-VA-6)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Chip Roy (R-TX-21)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-3)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA-1)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Josh Brecheen (R-OK-2)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Julia Letlow (R-LA-5)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Keith Self (R-TX-3)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Lauren Boebert (R-CO-4)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Mary E. Miller (R-IL-15)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Mike Collins (R-GA-10)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Pat Harrigan (R-NC-10)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Ralph Norman (R-SC-5)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Randy Fine (R-FL-6)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Scott Perry (R-PA-10)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Tim Burchett (R-TN-2)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Tony Wied (R-WI-8)Original· 2026-04-20
  • Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22)Original· 2026-04-20
  • W. Gregory Steube (R-FL-17)Original· 2026-04-20
  • James R. Baird (R-IN-4)· 2026-04-28
  • Tim Moore (R-NC-14)· 2026-04-28
  • David Rouzer (R-NC-7)· 2026-05-19

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

2026-04-20

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

Currently in

  • House Committee on AgricultureReferred To · 2026-04-20

Previously

  • Agriculture CommitteeReferred To · 2026-04-20

Plain-English Summary

This bill would remove federal laws and programs that provide special assistance to farmers and ranchers from disadvantaged backgrounds, including minority-owned farms and those owned by women or veterans. The changes would affect loan programs, grants, and other support services currently available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help these groups start or expand their farming operations.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

Subjects

Agriculture and Food

Full Bill Text

Verbatim text published on Congress.gov via GovInfo. Use Cmd+F / Ctrl+F to search within this excerpt.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8374 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8374 To strike references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Federal law, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 20, 2026 Mr. Harris of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Harris of Maryland, Ms. Boebert, Mr. Wied, Mr. Harrigan, Mr. Fine, Mr. Brecheen, Mr. Clyde, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Perry, Mr. Ogles, Mr. Steube, Mr. Collins, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Ms. Letlow, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Self, Mr. Roy, Mr. Norman, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Van Orden, Mr. Cline, and Mr. Smith of Nebraska) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To strike references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Federal law, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Equal Treatment for Farmers Act''. SEC. 2. STRIKING REFERENCES TO SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN FEDERAL LAW. (a) Section 524(a)(3) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(a)(3)) is amended-- (1) by striking subparagraph (C); and (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively. (b) Section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking paragraph (11); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively; (2) in subsection (d)(5)(C)(i)-- (A) by striking subclause (II); and (B) by redesignating subclauses (III) and (IV) as subclauses (II) and (III), respectively; and (3) in subsection (i)(3)(A)(ii)(II)-- (A) in the subclause heading, by striking ``Beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``Beginning and veteran''; and (B) by striking ``beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``beginning and veteran''. (c) The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) is amended-- (1) in section 304 (7 U.S.C. 1924)-- (A) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ``and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers''; and (B) in subsection (e)(2), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher or a''; (2) in section 310B(e) (7 U.S.C. 1932(e))-- (A) by striking paragraph (11); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (12) and (13) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively; (3) in section 310E (7 U.S.C. 1935)-- (A) in subsection (d)(4)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``or'' at the end; (ii) by striking subparagraph (B); (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); and (iv) in subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, by striking ``; and'' at the end; and (B) in subsection (e)-- (i) in paragraph (1), by adding ``and'' at the end; (ii) by striking paragraph (2); and (iii) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); (4) in section 310F (7 U.S.C. 1936)-- (A) in the section heading, by striking ``and socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher''; (B) in subsection (a), by striking ``or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher (as defined in section 355(e)(2))''; (C) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher''; (D) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher''; and (E) in subsection (f), by striking ``and Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher'' each place it appears; (5) in section 310I (7 U.S.C. 1936c)-- (A) 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 (B) by amending subsection (d) to…
Show the remaining 1,641 wordsHide the remaining 1,641 words
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).''; (6) 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))''; (7) 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.''; and (8) by striking section 355 (7 U.S.C. 2003). (d) Section 5413 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (7 U.S.C. 2008x) is amended-- (1) in subsection (b)(1)(C), by striking ``and socially disadvantaged''; and (2) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking ``and socially disadvantaged''. (e) Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking paragraphs (5) and (6); and (B) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (5); (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers and ranchers,'' and inserting ``veteran farmers and ranchers''; (3) in subsection (c)-- (A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Socially Disadvantaged and''; (B) in paragraph (1)-- (i) in subparagraph (A)-- (I) in clause (i), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and''; and (II) in clause (ii), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and''; (ii) by striking subparagraphs (E) and (F); and (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (E); (C) in paragraph (3)(B)(i), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and''; (D) in paragraph (4)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and''; (ii) in subparagraph (D)-- (I) by striking clauses (iii) and (iv); (II) by redesignating clauses (v) through (vii) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively; (III) in clause (iv), as so redesignated, by striking ``and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers''; and (IV) in clause (v), as so redesignated, by striking ``clause (vi)'' and inserting ``clause (iv)''; and (iii) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers or''; and (E) by striking paragraph (5); (4) in subsection (f)-- (A) by striking paragraph (2); (B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (7) as paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and (C) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``or'' at the end; (ii) by striking subparagraph (B); and (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B); (5) in subsection (g)(2), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers or''; (6) by striking subsections (h) and (j); (7) by redesignating subsections (i), (k), and (l) as subsections (h), (i), and (j), respectively; (8) in subsection (i), as so redesignated-- (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``and members of socially disadvantaged groups''; and (B) in paragraph (2)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and members of socially disadvantaged groups''; (ii) in subparagraph (B), by adding ``and'' at the end; (iii) by striking subparagraphs (C) and (E); (iv) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and (v) in subparagraph (C), as so redesignated, by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and (9) in subsection (j)(4)(A), as redesignated by paragraph (7)-- (A) in clause (i), by adding ``and'' at the end; (B) by striking clause (ii); and (C) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii). (f) The Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) is amended-- (1) in section 226B (7 U.S.C. 6934)-- (A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (3); (B) in subsection (b)(1)(B)-- (i) by striking clause (iii); and (ii) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively; (C) in subsection (c)-- (i) 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''; (ii) in paragraph (1), by striking ``socially disadvantaged,''; and (iii) in paragraph (5), by striking ``veteran farmers or ranchers, and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers'' and inserting ``and veteran farmers or ranchers''; (D) by striking subsection (d); and (E) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and (2) by striking section 305 (7 U.S.C. 2279a). (g) Section 201 of division HH of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328; 136 Stat. 5971) is repealed. (h) Section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) is amended-- (1) in subsection (k)(2), by striking ``, beginning, or socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``or beginning''; and (2) in subsection (l)(3)-- (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``veteran, and socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``and veteran''; and (B) by striking ``, beginning, and socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``and beginning''. (i) 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,''. (j) Section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8111) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (9); and (2) in subsection (c)-- (A) 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)));''; and (B) 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.''. (k) The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.) is amended-- (1) 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.''; and (2) 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.''. (l) The Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9001 et seq.) is amended-- (1) in section 1114(d)(2) (7 U.S.C. 9014(d)(2))-- (A) by striking subparagraph (A); and (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (A) through (C), respectively; (2) in section 1404(c)(4) (7 U.S.C. 9054(c)(4)), by striking ``veteran, or socially disadvantaged'' and inserting ``or veteran''; and (3) in section 1501(a)(1)(A) (7 U.S.C. 9081(a)(1)(A))-- (A) in clause (i), by adding ``or'' at the end; (B) by striking clause (ii); and (C) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii). (m) 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.''. (n) 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),''. (o) Section 623 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 1985 note) is repealed. (p) The Food Security Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-198; 99 Stat. 1504) is amended-- (1) in section 1201(a) (16 U.S.C. 3801(a))-- (A) by striking paragraph (23); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (24) through (27) as paragraphs (23) through (26), respectively; (2) in section 1231C(b)(3)(E) (16 U.S.C. 3831c(b)(3)(E))-- (A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking ``socially disadvantaged,''; (B) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``socially disadvantaged,''; and (C) in clause (i)(II), by striking ``socially disadvantaged,''; (3) in section 1240B(d)(4)(A) (16 U.S.C. 3839aa- 2(d)(4)(A)), by striking ``socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher,''; (4) 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.''; and (5) 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. <all>
Open clean-text viewRead on Congress.gov →

Related legislation

Bills by the same sponsor or covering overlapping subjects.

  • HR9580PARITY Act
    Referred to Committee · 2026-07-02
  • HR5625Cashless Bail Reporting Act
    Passed House · 2026-05-18
  • HR6392Home School Graduation Recognition Act
    Passed House · 2026-03-17
  • HR6715Child Predators Accountability Act
    Passed House · 2026-01-13