Grocery, Farm, and Food Worker Grants

Summary#

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create a grant program run by the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service. The program would give funding to eligible entities — membership organizations or labor unions that represent farmworkers, meat processing workers, or grocery workers — for stabilization payments after a natural disaster or other disaster, as determined by the Secretary. The Secretary must send a report to the House and Senate agriculture committees not later than 4 years after the bill becomes law describing outcomes and evaluating the program. The bill authorizes $50,000,000 to carry out the program, to remain available until expended.

What it means for you#

• Membership organizations and labor unions that represent farmworkers, meat processing workers, or grocery workers could apply for grants to provide stabilization payments after disasters.
• The bill covers organizations and unions, not individual workers directly. Whether individual workers get payments is not specified.
• The Secretary of Agriculture will set rules about which disasters qualify and how organizations qualify and apply. No publicly available information on application steps, payment amounts, or exact timing.

Expenses#

• The bill authorizes $50,000,000 to carry out the program, to remain available until expended.
• No publicly available information on estimated total cost beyond this authorization, annual spending plans, or federal budget estimates.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describing proponents' arguments or intended benefits.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata describing opponents' objections or concerns.