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S. 4470Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2026

Sponsored by John FettermanSen. John Fetterman (D-PA)
Introduced April 30, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated May 8, 2026 at 4:31 AM UTC

The Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2026 updates the Department of Agriculture’s structure and programs to better support urban and high‑tech farming. It expands the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, creates new grant and cooperative‑agreement opportunities, and sets dedicated funding to help small‑scale growers, schools, tribal and local governments develop and sustain urban farms and controlled‑environment agriculture.

Key Provisions

  • Adds language to let the USDA provide technical help with business formation, zoning, and managing non‑contiguous parcels for urban growers.
  • Creates a new focus on conservation methods that address storm‑water runoff and other urban land issues.
  • Establishes competitive grants and sub‑grants for urban and innovative producers, prioritizing projects that improve fresh‑food access in underserved areas; eligible recipients include nonprofits, local governments, tribal groups, cooperatives, and K‑12 schools.
  • Allows cooperative agreements with the same types of eligible entities to support urban farming projects.
  • Changes “pilot projects” to broader “projects” and expands participation to include tribal, state, and U.S. territories.
  • Sets mandatory USDA funding of $15 million per year (starting FY2026) and authorizes up to $50 million annually for FY2026‑2030 to run these programs.
  • Amends the research grants act to explicitly include hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics, and other controlled‑environment technologies.
  • Increases funding for agricultural data collection to $18 million per year for FY2026‑2030.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

April 30, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

April 30, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

April 30, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued April 30, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4470

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 30, 2026

Mr. Fetterman (for himself, Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Smith, Mr. Booker, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Heinrich, and Mr. Hickenlooper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to improve the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2026.

2.

Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Section 222 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6923) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)(3)—

(A)

in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting production after emerging agricultural;

(B)

in subparagraph (D)—

(i)

by inserting controlled-environment agriculture, including before hydroponic; and

(ii)

by striking and at the end;

(C)

by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (H); and

(D)

by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:

(E)

using the resources of the Department and of State, Tribal, and local agencies to provide technical assistance for business incorporation, navigating local zoning, and managing farm tract numbers for smaller, noncontiguous parcels to growers implementing activities described in this paragraph;

(F)

using the resources of the Department and of State, Tribal, and local agencies to promote conservation techniques unique to urban agriculture and innovative production, including techniques that address stormwater runoff and the impacted nature of urban land and the subsurface of the land;

(G)

assisting urban and innovative producers in navigating Federal, State, Tribal, and local policies and regulations that impact business or operations; and

;

(2)

in subsection (b)—

(A)

in paragraph (5)(B), by striking 2023 and inserting 2030; and

(B)

in paragraph (7)(A), by striking the date that is 5 years after the date on which the members are appointed under paragraph (2)(B) and inserting September 30, 2030;

(3)

by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

(c)

Grants and cooperative agreements

(1)

Grants

(A)

In general

The Director shall award competitive grants to support the development of urban and innovative agricultural production and technical or financial assistance to producers.

(B)

Subgrants

An eligible entity may use funds from a grant under subparagraph (A) to provide subgrants to urban and innovative producers to support the growth of the farm or farm business of the urban and innovative producers.

(C)

Priority

In awarding competitive grants under this paragraph, the Director shall prioritize projects that improve access to local foods in areas where access to fresh, healthy food is limited.

(D)

Eligible entities

An entity eligible to receive a grant under subparagraph (A) is—

(i)

a nonprofit organization;

(ii)

a unit of local government;

(iii)

a Tribal organization;

(iv)

an agricultural cooperative or other agricultural business entity or a producer network or association; or

(v)

a school that serves any of grades kindergarten through grade 12.

(2)

Cooperative agreements

(A)

In general

The Director may enter into cooperative agreements with eligible entities to support the development of urban and innovative agricultural production.

(B)

Eligible entities

An entity eligible to enter into a cooperative agreement under subparagraph (A) is—

(i)

a nonprofit organization;

(ii)

a unit of local government;

(iii)

a Tribal organization; or

(iv)

an agricultural cooperative or a producer network or association.

;

(4)

in subsection (d)—

(A)

in the subsection heading, by striking Pilot projects and inserting Projects;

(B)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A), by striking Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program for not fewer than 5 years that and inserting The Secretary shall carry out a program that; and

(ii)

in subparagraph (C)—

(I)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 2023 and inserting 2030; and

(II)

in clause (i), by striking pilot; and

(C)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A)—

(I)

by striking pilot;

(II)

by striking local or municipal and inserting local, municipal, Tribal, State, or United States territory; and

(III)

by inserting or territories after States;

(ii)

in subparagraph (B)—

(I)

in the subparagraph heading, by striking pilot; and

(II)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting Tribal governments, States, United States territories, after local governments,; and

(iii)

in subparagraph (C), by striking pilot each place it appears; and

(5)

by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:

(e)

Funding

(1)

Mandatory funding

Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter.

(2)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

.

3.

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative

Section 2(b)(2)(E) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grants Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)(E)) is amended—

(1)

in clause (iv), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in clause (v), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(vi)

hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics, and other production technologies used in controlled-environment agriculture production.

.

4.

Data collection

Section 7212(b) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–334; 132 Stat. 4812) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(A)

by striking Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the and inserting The; and

(B)

by striking the census of agriculture conducted in the calendar year 2017 and inserting each census of agriculture; and

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking $14,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 2021 and inserting $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, to remain available until expended.