HF3420 Summary

• Appropriates $65.41 million in fiscal year 2023 to the Department of Agriculture for protection services, agricultural marketing and development, agriculture research and innovation, and administration and financial assistance programs.

• Establishes cooperative grants program (up to $50,000) to help farmers finance new cooperatives for processing agricultural commodities or marketing agricultural products and services.

• Creates farm down payment assistance grants (up to $15,000 per eligible farmer) for beginning farmers, with required 1:1 matching funds and 5-year land ownership commitment.

• Establishes soil health financial assistance pilot program with $500,000 appropriation to support healthy soil management practices through grants for reduced tillage, cover cropping, manure management, and related agricultural improvements.

• Appropriates $8.1 million for drought relief grants to livestock farmers and specialty crop producers impacted by 2021 drought, and $60.703 million for broadband development including new broadband line extension and lower population density pilot programs.