H.R. 9968 – Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act

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Updated August 14, 2026 at 4:21 AM UTC

The Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act requires the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to prepare a report for Congress on the obstacles that certified organic farms and farms wanting to go organic face when trying to use USDA programs. The report must be delivered within 180 days of the law’s enactment and then updated each year for the next three years. It aims to identify problems, suggest fixes, and improve USDA services for organic producers.

Key Provisions

The Secretary must submit a detailed report to the House and Senate Agriculture committees and post it online within 180 days of enactment.
The report must assess barriers in USDA programs such as conservation, credit, disaster aid, risk management, export promotion, market development, technical assistance, rural development, data collection, procurement, and organic certification cost‑share.
It must include data on application, approval, denial rates, funding levels, geographic distribution, farm size, production type, and reasons for non‑participation where possible.
The report should evaluate specific obstacles like eligibility rules, payment rates, paperwork, record‑keeping, insurance pricing, conservation standards, certification documentation, supply‑chain gaps, and staff knowledge of organic issues.
It must outline needed staff training, technical assistance, administrative actions the USDA will take, and any statutory changes recommended to remove identified barriers.
For three years after the initial report, the Secretary must provide annual updates showing progress, completed actions, remaining barriers, and any new recommendations.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 27, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 27, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

July 27, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 27, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9968

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 27, 2026

Mr. Ogles (for himself and Ms. Brown) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to submit to Congress a report on barriers to participation in Department of Agriculture programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act.

2.

Study on barriers to participation in Department of Agriculture programs faced by certified organic farms and farms interested in transitioning to organic production

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Appropriate committees of Congress

The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A)

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; and

(B)

Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives.

(2)

Certified organic farm

The term certified organic farm has the meaning given the term in section 2103 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6502).

(3)

Department

The term Department means the Department of Agriculture.

(4)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(b)

Report

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department, a report on barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production.

(c)

Contents

The report required under subsection (b) shall include the following:

(1)

Program review

An assessment of barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production, including barriers in programs relating to conservation, credit, disaster assistance, risk management, export promotion, market development, technical assistance, rural development, data collection, procurement, and organic certification cost-share.

(2)

Participation data

To the extent practicable, data on application rates, approval rates, denial rates, funding levels, geographic distribution, farm size, production type, and reasons for denial or nonparticipation by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production.

(3)

Specific barriers

An assessment of barriers relating to program eligibility, payment rates, ranking criteria, application forms, recordkeeping requirements, crop insurance price elections, disaster assistance valuation, conservation practice standards, certification documentation, supply-chain infrastructure, organic literacy among Department staff, and the availability of organic-specific data.

(4)

Staff training and technical assistance

An assessment of the need for organic-specific training, guidance, and technical assistance for Department field staff, including staff of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service, and other relevant agencies and offices.

(5)

Administrative actions

A description of administrative actions that the Secretary intends to take to remove barriers identified in the report.

(6)

Statutory recommendations

Any recommendations for statutory changes needed to remove barriers identified in the report.

(d)

Annual updates

For each of the first 3 years following submission of the report required under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department, an annual update to that report that describes—

(1)

any progress made to remove barriers identified in that report;

(2)

any administrative actions completed or underway;

(3)

any remaining barriers to participation in Department programs faced by certified organic farms and farms that may be interested in transitioning to organic production; and

(4)

any additional recommendations for statutory changes.