[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5303 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5303
To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to
establish the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Mr. Padilla (for himself, Ms. Warren, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Booker, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Rosen, and Mr. Lujan)
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
establish the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce.
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 ``Supporting Our Farm and Food System
Workforce Act''.
SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE FARM AND FOOD SYSTEM WORKFORCE.
(a) In General.--The Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act
of 1994 is amended by inserting after section 226B (7 U.S.C. 6934) the
following:
``SEC. 226C. OFFICE OF THE FARM AND FOOD SYSTEM WORKFORCE.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Advisory committee.--The term `Advisory Committee'
means the Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee
established under subsection (d)(1).
``(2) Coordinator.--The term `Coordinator' means the Farm
and Food System Workforce Coordinator.
``(3) Farmworker coordinator.--The term `Farmworker
Coordinator' means the position established under section
226B(f).
``(4) Farm and food system worker.--The term `farm and food
system worker' means a worker employed, or a contract worker
engaged--
``(A) in the production, processing, packaging,
transporting, trade, or marketing of food, feed, or
fiber through aquaculture, farming, wild fisheries,
forestry, or pastoralism, as described in section 4(4)
of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C.
9303(4));
``(B) in any service or activity described in
section 3(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
(29 U.S.C. 203(f)) or section 3121(g) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986; or
``(C) in the handling, planting, drying, packing,
packaging, processing, freezing, or grading prior to
the delivery for storage of any agricultural or
horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state.
``(5) Interagency council.--The term `Interagency Council'
means the Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council
established under subsection (e)(1).
``(6) Office.--The term `Office' means the Office of the
Farm and Food System Workforce established under subsection
(b)(1).
``(b) Establishment.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish within
the executive operations of the Department an office, to be
known as the `Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce'--
``(A) to improve awareness of and access to
programs of the Department for farm and food system
workers;
``(B) to improve the language used by the
Department and ensure inclusive and efficient
communication between the Department and farm and food
system workers to regularly inform farm and food system
workers of relevant policy and changes to policy; and
``(C) to provide recommendations and technical
assistance to other Federal departments and agencies
with respect to the programs or communications of those
departments and agencies relating to farm and food
system workers.
``(2) Farm and food system workforce coordinator.--
``(A) In general.--The Office shall be headed by a
Farm and Food System Workforce Coordinator.
``(B) Selection.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), the Coordinator shall--
``(I) be appointed by the
Secretary, in consultation with
organizations that represent farm and
food system workers, from among the
competitive service; and
``(II) have relevant experience
working with farm and food system
workers.
``(ii) Initial coordinator.--The initial
Coordinator shall be the Farmworker
Coordinator.
``(C) Duties.--The duties of the Coordinator shall
be--
``(i) serving as a liaison to community-
based nonprofit organizations, institutions of
higher education, and local educational
agencies that represent and have demonstrated
experience serving farmworkers or food system
workers; and
``(ii) consulting with the Advisory
Committee to integrate farm and food system
worker perspectives, concerns, and interests
into the ongoing programs of the Department.
``(D) Staff.--The Secretary, acting through the
Coordinator, shall employ such staff as the Secretary
determines necessary to carry out the functions of the
Office.
``(c) Duties.--The duties of the Office shall be to ensure farm and
food system workers have access to, and equitable participation in,
programs and services of the Department by--
``(1) establishing and monitoring the goals and objectives
of the Department to increase participation in programs of the
Department by farm and food system workers;
``(2) assisting in administering the program established
under section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and
Trade Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 5177a);
``(3) coordinating with the Department, other Federal
agencies, and State, local, and Tribal governments to ensure
that the needs of farm and food system workers are assessed and
met during declared disasters and other emergencies, as
determined by the Secretary;
``(4) assessing the effectiveness with respect to farm and
food system workers of Department outreach programs;
``(5) developing and implementing a plan to coordinate
outreach activities and services provided by the Department
with respect to farm and food system workers;
``(6) collaborating with and providing input to the
agencies and offices of the Department on programmatic and
policy decisions relating to and affecting farm and food system
workers;
``(7) communicating to employers of farm and food system
workers, and publicizing on the website of the Department,
information about Federal programs for which the employees of
those employers may be eligible;
``(8) identifying, in consultation with organizations that
represent farm and food system workers, research priorities to
inform the research activities of the Department relating to,
and beneficial to, farm and food system workers;
``(9) measuring and analyzing outcomes of the programs and
activities of the Department on farm and food system workers;
``(10) assisting farmworkers in becoming agricultural
operators or landowners;
``(11) recommending new initiatives and programs to the
Secretary; and
``(12) carrying out any other related duties that the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
``(d) Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within
the Office the Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee.
``(2) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall provide advice
to the Office on--
``(A) integrating farm and food system worker
perspectives, concerns, and interests into the ongoing
programs of the Department; and
``(B) improving--
``(i) farm and food system worker safety;
``(ii) research programs relating to farm
and food system workers;
``(iii) agricultural education and
technical skills opportunities for farm and
food system workers; and
``(iv) job training programs that assist
farm and food system workers.
``(3) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed
of not more than 20 members, who shall be appointed by the
Secretary from among individuals nominated by the public, and
shall include--
``(A) not fewer than 5 farm and food system
workers;
``(B) not fewer than 2 civil rights representatives
with a history of working on issues relating to farm
and food system workers;
``(C) not fewer than 4 representatives of nonprofit
organizations with a history of working on issues faced
by farmworkers or food system workers, of whom 2 shall
have focused expertise on issues faced by women
farmworkers or food system workers;
``(D) not fewer than 2 representatives of labor
unions with a history of representing farmworkers or
food system workers;
``(E) not fewer than 2 representatives of
institutions of higher education with demonstrated
experience working with farmworkers or food system
workers; and
``(F) such other individuals as the Secretary
considers to be appropriate.
``(4) Limitation.--No member of the Advisory Committee
shall be an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
``(5) Period of appointment.--
``(A) In general.--Each member of the Advisory
Committee--
``(i) subject to clause (ii) and
subparagraph (B), shall be appointed to a 3-
year term; and
``(ii) may be reappointed to not more than
3 consecutive terms.
``(B) Initial staggering.--The first 6 appointments
by the Secretary under paragraph (3) shall be for a 2-
year term.
``(C) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Advisory
Committee shall be filled--
``(i) in the same manner as the original
appointment was made; and
``(ii) not more than 90 days after the date
on which the position becomes vacant.
``(6) Meetings.--
``(A) In-person meetings.--To the extent
practicable, not less than twice each year, the
Advisory Committee shall meet in person.
``(B) Office representative.--
``(i) In general.--At least 1
representative from the Office shall be present
at each meeting of the Advisory Committee.
``(ii) Nonvoting capacity.--Any individual
described in clause (i) who is present at a
meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be a
nonvoting representative at the meeting.
``(C) Language access.--Each meeting of the
Advisory Committee shall include simultaneous
interpretation and translation of the meeting, and the
provision of a copy of any agenda of the meeting in
such languages as are requested by--
``(i) any member of the Advisory Committee;
or
``(ii) any member of the public observing
the meeting.
``(7) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year,
the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary, the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the
Department, in English, Spanish, and any other languages the
Coordinator determines to be appropriate, a report that
describes--
``(A) the activities of the Advisory Committee
during the previous year; and
``(B) recommendations for legislative or
administrative action for the following year.
``(e) Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within
the Office the Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency
Council.
``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Interagency Council is
to facilitate interagency, cabinet-level leadership in
planning, policymaking, coordination, and program development
for services available to farm and food system workers.
``(3) Membership.--The Interagency Council shall comprise--
``(A) 1 representative from each of--
``(i) the Department of Agriculture;
``(ii) the Department of Health and Human
Services;
``(iii) the Department of Housing and Urban
Development;
``(iv) the Department of Labor;
``(v) the Department of Education;
``(vi) the Environmental Protection Agency;
``(vii) the Department of Homeland
Security;
``(viii) the Department of Justice;
``(ix) the Department of the Treasury;
``(x) the Department of Commerce; and
``(xi) the Department of State; and
``(B) the Coordinator or another representative of
the Office.
``(4) Meetings.--
``(A) In-person meetings.--To the extent
practicable, not less than twice each year, the
Interagency Council shall meet in person.
``(B) Office representative.--
``(i) In general.--At least 1
representative from the Office shall be present
at each meeting of the Interagency Council.
``(ii) Nonvoting capacity.--Any individual
described in clause (i) who is present at a
meeting of the Interagency Council shall be a
nonvoting representative at the meeting.
``(5) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year,
the Interagency Council shall submit to the Secretary, the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate, and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives, and make publicly available on the website of
the Department, in English, Spanish, and any other languages
the Coordinator determines to be appropriate, a report that
describes recommendations for legislative or administrative
action to be taken during the following year to increase
accountability, coordination, compliance, and culture changes
at the Federal level to address inequities faced by farm and
food system workers, including program access, workforce
stability, worker health and safety, and economic
opportunities.
``(f) Liaison Officers.--
``(1) In general.--The Office shall appoint staff members
to maintain liaison with the following agencies on matters
relating to farm and food system workers:
``(A) The Farm Service Agency.
``(B) The Natural Resources Conservation Service.
``(C) The rural development agencies of the
Department of Agriculture.
``(D) The National Institute of Food and
Agriculture.
``(E) The Food and Nutrition Service.
``(F) The Agricultural Marketing Service.
``(G) The Forest Service.
``(H) The National Agricultural Statistics Service.
``(I) Any other agency that the Coordinator
determines to be appropriate.
``(2) Plans.--The staff members described in paragraph (1)
shall develop plans for review by the Coordinator, the Advisory
Committee, and the Interagency Council to increase information,
awareness, access, data, and accountability for meeting the
needs of farm and food system workers relative to the functions
and beneficiaries of each of the agencies described in
subparagraphs (A) through (I) of paragraph (1).
``(g) Report.--Not less frequently than once each year, the
Coordinator shall submit to the Secretary, the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and the Committee
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly
available, in English, Spanish, and any other languages the Coordinator
determines to be appropriate, a report that describes, for the period
covered by the report--
``(1) the activities of the Office and progress made in
carrying out the duties of the Office;
``(2) the health, education, and economic outcomes for farm
and food system workers;
``(3) the impacts that heat, natural disasters, drought,
and pandemics have on the farm and food systems;
``(4) the barriers that farm and food system workers face
in accessing Department programs; and
``(5) recommendations that will improve the work and
livelihoods of farm and food system workers.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for
each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.''.
(b) Termination of Farmworker Coordinator Position.--Section
226B(f) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7
U.S.C. 6934(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Termination of position.--The position of Coordinator
shall terminate on the date on which the Secretary certifies
that the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce is
established under section 226C(b) is appropriately staffed with
staff members dedicated to farmworker-specific issues.''.
(c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 296(b) of the Department of
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(11) The authority of the Secretary to establish in the
Department the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce in
accordance with section 226C.''.
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