Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act
Latest action (27 Jul 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
**H.R. 9968 — Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act**
This bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture to produce a report, within 180 days of enactment, examining barriers that certified organic farms and farms considering a switch to organic production face when trying to participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The report would cover programs related to conservation, credit, disaster assistance, risk management, export promotion, market development, technical assistance, rural development, data collection, procurement, and organic certification cost-share. It would also include participation data where available, an assessment of specific obstacles (such as eligibility rules, payment rates, paperwork, and staff knowledge of organic farming), a review of training needs for USDA field staff, and recommendations for both administrative and legislative fixes. The report must be sent to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and posted publicly online, with annual follow-up updates for three years afterward.
The bill primarily affects USDA agencies (including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, and Foreign Agricultural Service) and certified organic or organic-transitioning farmers, who would be the focus of the data collection and barrier assessment.
The bill was introduced on July 27, 2026, by Rep. Andrew Ogles, with Rep. Brown as a cosponsor, and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. It has not yet been voted on or advanced further in the legislative process.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on July 27, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 9968 do?
- **H.R. 9968 — Opening Programs to Organic Farms Act** This bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture to produce a report, within 180 days of enactment, examining barriers that certified organic farms and farms considering a switch to organic production face when trying to participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The report would cover programs related to conservation, credit, disaster assistance, risk management, export promotion, market development, technical assistance, rural development, data collection, procurement, and organic certification cost-share. It would also include participation data where available, an assessment of specific obstacles (such as eligibility rules, payment rates, paperwork, and staff knowledge of organic farming), a review of training needs for USDA field staff, and recommendations for both administrative and legislative fixes. The report must be sent to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and posted publicly online, with annual follow-up updates for three years afterward. The bill primarily affects USDA agencies (including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, and Foreign Agricultural Service) and certified organic or organic-transitioning farmers, who would be the focus of the data collection and barrier assessment. The bill was introduced on July 27, 2026, by Rep. Andrew Ogles, with Rep. Brown as a cosponsor, and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. It has not yet been voted on or advanced further in the legislative process.
- Has H.R. 9968 become law?
- Not yet. As of 27 Jul 2026, H.R. 9968 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 9968?
- H.R. 9968 was sponsored by Rep. Andrew Ogles [R-TN5] (Republican-TN), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 9968?
- Introduced (27 Jul 2026).
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