Honor Farmer Contracts Act of 2025
The Honor Farmer Contracts Act of 2025 would direct the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately unfreeze and implement all contracts and agreements it had entered into before the bill’s enactment, and to promptly pay any past-due amounts owed under those contracts. It also protects farmers and contract providers by prohibiting the cancellation of signed agreements unless there is a failure to comply with their terms. In addition, the bill would require written notice and justification to Congress at least 60 days before closing any Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field office, or Rural Development Service Center. The overall aim is to ensure continuity of services and contractual commitments to farmers and related service providers, while increasing congressional oversight over USDA office closures.
Key Points
- 1Unfreezes funding for and implements all pre-enactment USDA contracts and agreements immediately after enactment.
- 2Requires USDA to pay all past-due amounts owed under those pre-enactment contracts as quickly as possible.
- 3Prohibits cancellation of any signed agreement or contract with a farmer or a helper service provider unless there is a failure to comply with the contract’s terms.
- 4Prohibits closing FSA county offices, NRCS field offices, or Rural Development Service Centers without providing Congress with written notice and justification at least 60 days before the intended closure date.
- 5The act is named the Honor Farmer Contracts Act of 2025, signaling its purpose to protect contractual commitments and farmer-facing services, with oversight implications for congressional review of USDA office closures.