PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7374-7377)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Nov 10, 2011
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to extend: (1) the conservation reserve and related programs, (2) the pilot program for enrollment of wetland and buffer acreage in the conservation reserve program, (3) the environmental quality incentives program, (4) activities to address air quality concerns from agricultural operations, and (5) the conservation access program.
Permits conservation reserve contract modification to facilitate transfers from retiring owners to limited resource farmers or ranchers.
Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to: (1) reduce the number of operating years required for a beginning farmer or rancher to qualify for a direct real estate loan, (2) authorize micro loans for beginning farmers or ranchers who are between 19 and 35 years old, (3) extend real estate and operating loan authority at increased levels, (4) revise private source transition provisions, (5) make the direct operating loan set-aside for beginning farmers and ranchers permanent, (6) permit loans and grants for entrepreneurial farm and farm-related enterprises, and (7) extend the beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts pilot program.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to extend the value-added agricultural product market development grant program.
Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the beginning farmer and rancher development program. Provides assistance for agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans.
Amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to extend the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Provides priority assistance for new farming opportunities, including young, beginning, socially disadvantaged, and immigrant issues, as well as farm entry, transition, and transfer issues.
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to express the sense of Congress that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) should remove barriers and ensure effective access to crop and revenue insurance by beginning farmers and ranchers.
Extends authority for reimbursement of research, development, and maintenance costs.
Provides for risk management programs targeted at beginning, socially disadvantaged, transitioning, or legal immigrant farmers and ranchers.
Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to direct the Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Group (within the Office of Advocacy and Outreach) to designate a state small and beginning farmer and rancher coordinator from among the state office employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service.
Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in USDA the position of Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison.
People & committees
Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA] · D–IA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7374-7377)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7373-7374)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jan 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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