introduced the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act, legislation to restore equal treatment under the law in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. The bill ensures assistance is provided based on merit, demonstrated need, and objective eligibility requirements, rather than race or gender.
Eliminate race- and gender-based preferences in USDA programs and require assistance to be based on merit, demonstrated need, and objective eligibility requirements.
Occurrences
a modern Farm Bill that strengthens American agriculture, supports rural communities, protects taxpayers, and gives North Carolina farmers the tools they need to succeed
Today, Congressman Mark Harris (NC-08) introduced the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act, legislation to restore equal treatment under the law in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.
Evidence
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GovInfo’s bill record shows H.R. 8374 was introduced in the House on April 20, 2026 and referred to the Committee on Agriculture. The full title is “To strike references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in Federal law, and for other purposes.”
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The office’s media page lists a May 15, 2026 item noting that Harris introduced the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act “this week,” alongside earlier April 20 and April 24 items. The page does not show any later passage, committee markup, or other completion step for the USDA preferences proposal.
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GovInfo’s bill record shows H.R. 8374 was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Agriculture; the record lists the last action date as April 20, 2026 and does not show passage or enactment.
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USDA’s final rule states that the Department would no longer use the race- and sex-based “socially disadvantaged” designation to provide increased benefits in the programs covered by the rule, effective July 10, 2025. The rule also says USDA transitioned the covered programs to race- and sex-neutral frameworks.
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FSA’s FY 2026 funding page, with funds used as of August 5, 2026, says targeted funds are legislatively set aside for exclusive use by minority farmers, women farmers, and beginning farmers. Its FAQ says the law requires FSA to reserve or target portions of direct and guaranteed operating and farm ownership loan funds for socially disadvantaged applicants, including women and listed racial or ethnic groups.
Assessments
USDA administratively removed race- and sex-based socially disadvantaged preferences from covered programs during Harris's current House term, which partially matches the promise. But the broader promised outcome was not fully delivered because statutory targeted funding and related socially disadvantaged farmer provisions remained in FY 2026, and Harris's matching bill, H.R. 8374, was only introduced and referred to committee without passage or enactment. Harris gets effort credit for sponsoring legislation aimed at the full change, but not full delivery.
Harris materially pursued the promise by introducing H.R. 8374, the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act, on April 20, 2026, to remove references to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers from federal law. But the official bill history shows only introduction and referral to the House Agriculture Committee, with no passage, enactment, or other completion step during the review window. Under the federal office standard, that is a serious legislative attempt without delivery, so the promise is best scored as never with an effort badge.
Mark Harris introduced H.R. 8374, the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act, which directly matches the promise by seeking to remove race- and gender-based USDA preference language and substitute objective criteria. However, the federal legislative record shows only introduction and referral to the House Agriculture Committee, with no passage, enactment, or implemented executive outcome. Because this was a serious legislative attempt but the promised policy change was not delivered, the correct outcome is never with an effort badge.