Strickland (WA) Democrat Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish the Office of Small Farms.
Require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish an Office of Small Farms.
Occurrences
Evidence
Chairman John Boozman released the discussion draft for Farm Bill 2.0 on Tuesday. Supporters described it as a step toward Senate passage and a future final farm bill.
The page calls the Agricultural Act of 2026 a discussion draft and says a fully modernized farm bill would mean more certainty for farm families, rural communities and food supply.
The draft establishes other USDA offices, including an Office of Biotechnology Policy and an Office of Seafood. The document has no matching text for “Small Farms.”
The House passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by 224-200. Chairman Thompson said he looked forward to the Senate making progress so the bill could be sent to the President.
The House bill text lists offices such as Office of Biotechnology Policy, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, Office of Tribal Relations, and Office of the Ombudsman; it has no match for “Small Farms.”
USDA says it is made up of 29 agencies and offices. The listed staff offices include Partnerships and Public Engagement, Civil Rights, Chief Economist, Congressional Relations, Inspector General, Tribal Relations, and others.
Assessments
The promised specific outcome was creation of a USDA Office of Small Farms. The cited 2026 House and Senate farm-bill materials remained unenacted or draft-stage and did not include an Office of Small Farms, and USDA's current public office list does not show such an office. Because Strickland is still in federal office and the relevant farm-bill process appears ongoing, the promise is not delivered but is better classified as unresolved rather than never. The evidence does not show a serious Strickland-led legislative or executive attempt sufficient for an effort badge.