Honor Farmer Contracts Act

Honor Farmer Contracts Act

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to unfreeze funding for agreements and contracts and prohibits USDA from closing certain offices and service centers without notifying Congress in advance.

Specifically, USDA must (1) unfreeze funding for, and implement, all agreements and contracts entered into by USDA prior to the bill's enactment; and (2) pay all related past due amounts owed by USDA as rapidly as possible.

Further, the bill prohibits USDA from canceling a signed agreement or contract with a farmer or an entity providing assistance to farmers (unless the farmer or entity is not in compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract).

Finally, the bill prohibits USDA from closing Farm Service Agency county offices, Natural Resources Conservation Service field offices, or Rural Development Service Centers without providing written notice and a justification to Congress at least 60 days before the closure.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2396 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2396

To unfreeze funding for contracts of the Department of Agriculture, to 
prohibit Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service 
                office closures, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2025

 Mr. Vasquez (for himself, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Riley of New York, and Mr. 
  McGovern) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To unfreeze funding for contracts of the Department of Agriculture, to 
prohibit Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service 
                office closures, 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 ``Honor Farmer Contracts Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FUNDING AND OFFICES.

    The Secretary of Agriculture shall--
            (1) immediately after the enactment of this Act, unfreeze 
        funding for and implement all written agreements and contracts 
        entered into by the Secretary of Agriculture prior to the date 
        of enactment of this Act;
            (2) as rapidly as possible after the enactment of this Act, 
        pay all past due amounts owed by the Secretary of Agriculture 
        under agreements and contracts described in paragraph (1);
            (3) not cancel any signed agreement or contract with a 
        farmer or an entity providing assistance to farmers, unless the 
        farmer or entity has failed to comply with the terms and 
        conditions of the contract; and
            (4) not close any Farm Service Agency county office, 
        Natural Resources Conservation Service field office, or Rural 
        Development Local Service Center without providing written 
        notice and justification to Congress not later than 60 days 
        before the date on which the applicable office or center is 
        intended to be closed.
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