Bill · S. 4951· Senate(119-S-4951)
Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act
- Introduced
- 7/13/2026
- Last activity
- 7/13/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Sponsored by
- Adam Schiff
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to create a report on the barriers certified organic farms and farms transitioning to organic production face when participating in Department of Agriculture programs. This report must be submitted to Congress and made public within 180 days of the act's enactment. The report will cover program reviews, participation data, specific barriers, and the need for staff training. It must also include planned administrative actions and recommendations for legal changes to remove these barriers. Additionally, the Secretary must provide annual updates on progress for the following three years.
Yes· 3 of 11
Would farmers be better off under this?+7
Significantly benefits certified organic and transitioning farmers by seeking to open USDA programs to them.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+5
Requires public reporting of USDA program approval and denial rates for organic farms.
Would business owners be better off under this?+4
Directly benefits organic farm owners by identifying and removing barriers to federal assistance.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Identification of Program Barriers: The bill requires an assessment of barriers in areas such as credit, disaster assistance, risk management, and technical assistance, which could help organic and transitioning farms access these services (Section 2(c)(1)).
-
Increased Transparency: By requiring participation data on approval and denial rates and making the report publicly available, the government provides more transparency regarding how these farms are treated by the Department (Section 2(b) and 2(c)(2)).
-
Improved Government Support: The bill calls for an assessment of the need for organic-specific training and guidance for field staff, such as those in the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development, which may lead to better service for farmers (Section 2(c)(4)).
-
Path to Reform: The requirement for the Secretary to describe intended administrative actions and recommend statutory changes provides a direct way to remove the barriers identified in the report (Section 2(c)(5) and 2(c)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- There are no specific negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Farmers+7Good For Business Owners+4Good For Rural Residents+4
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+4Improves Environmental Protections+3Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+2Reduces Carbon Emissions+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+5
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+3Improves Economic Growth+1
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves International Trade+1
- 7/13/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania