Black Farmers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Increased Market Share Act

This bill, the Black Farmers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Increased Market Share Act, aims to expand market access for Black farmers and other socially disadvantaged producers by creating and funding new federal programs centered on food hubs. It would provide up to $100 million in FY2026 to support competitive grants for entities to develop or grow food hubs that aggregate, process, store, and market agricultural products (with a focus on socially disadvantaged farmers). It also creates a new 25% agriculture hub tax credit for expenses tied to these food hubs, contingent on contracts certified by the Agriculture Department. In addition, the bill beefs up civil rights accountability within USDA through new enforcement mechanisms, equitable relief options for program participants, an independent Civil Rights Ombudsperson, and procedural refinements in appeals and burden of proof. Collectively, the measures seek to improve access to markets, increase purchases from disadvantaged producers, and strengthen civil rights protections within federal farm programs. Potential effects include a stronger pipeline for socially disadvantaged farmers to reach wholesale and institutional markets via certified food hubs, a new tax incentive to spur private investment in such hubs, and enhanced civil rights oversight and remedies within USDA programs. The bill also introduces reporting requirements and explicit prioritization of purchases from socially disadvantaged farmers and food hubs in USDA procurement.