Bill Summary
The Farm Subsidy Transparency Act seeks to increase transparency and accountability in the distribution of farm subsidies. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to track and make public information about the race, gender, and farm size of individuals and entities receiving farm subsidies. This information will also be included in an annual report to Congress. The Act also requires disclosure of information related to individuals and entities receiving federal crop insurance and benefits under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. Additionally, it includes provisions to track race and gender of individuals registering on the service center information management system of the Department of Agriculture.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could potentially reveal disparities in the distribution of farm subsidies based on factors such as race, gender, and farm size. This could highlight systemic inequalities and potentially lead to calls for reform in the distribution of these subsidies.
2. The information collected and made public could also affect the reputation and public perception of individuals and entities receiving farm subsidies, particularly if there are discrepancies between the demographics of those receiving subsidies and the demographics of the overall farming population.
3. This legislation could also impact the decision-making process of individuals and entities applying for farm subsidies, as they may be more conscious of their race, gender, and farm size in order to potentially increase their chances of receiving subsidies.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3794 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3794
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to track the distribution of all
farm subsidies by race, gender, and size of the farm operation and to
make such information about farm subsidies available to the public.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 8, 2021
Mr. Rush introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Financial
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to track the distribution of all
farm subsidies by race, gender, and size of the farm operation and to
make such information about farm subsidies available to the public.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Farm Subsidy Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. DATA ON RECEIPT OF BENEFITS UNDER AGRICULTURE IMPROVEMENT ACT
OF 2018.
Subtitle G of title I of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
(Public Law 115-334) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 1708. DATA ON THOSE RECEIVING BENEFITS.
``As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this
section and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
shall--
``(1) track--
``(A) the benefits provided, directly or
indirectly, to individuals and entities under this
title, title II, and title VII and the amendments made
by those titles, including--
``(i) the race and gender of the
individuals directly or indirectly receiving
the benefits;
``(ii) the race and gender of individual
receiving the benefits through an entity and
the race and gender of all individuals who
comprise such entity; and
``(iii) the rented, owned, or controlled
acreage of the farm or ranch of the recipient;
and
``(B) the race and gender of individuals who
applied for the benefits described in subparagraph (A)
and did not receive such benefits;
``(2) annually make the information tracked pursuant to
paragraph (1) publicly available on the website of the
Department of Agriculture; and
``(3) annually submit to the Committee on Agriculture of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, a report that includes
the information tracked pursuant to paragraph (1).''.
SEC. 3. DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION RELATING TO INDIVIDUALS AND
ENTITIES THAT OBTAINED FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE.
(a) In General.--Section 506(m) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act
(7 U.S.C. 1506(m)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3), the following:
``(4) Collection and release of information in the public
interest.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, except as provided in subparagraph
(C), the Corporation shall on an annual basis shall
require the collection of--
``(i) the name, race, and gender of each
individual or each individual that comprises an
entity that directly or indirectly obtained a
federally subsidized crop insurance, livestock,
or forage policy or plan of insurance during
the previous reinsurance year or had a
substantial beneficial interest in such entity;
``(ii) the rented, owned, or controlled
acreage of the farm or ranch attributable to
individuals disclosed under clause (i); and
``(iii) the amount of premium subsidy
received, directly or indirectly, by an
individual or entity from the Corporation,
including individuals receiving benefits
through an entity, and the race and gender of
each such individual or each individual that
comprises such an entity.
``(B) Release of information.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law, the Corporation shall annually
release to the public the information described in
subparagraph (A) by individual, entity, and
agricultural operation.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 502(c)(2) of the Federal Crop
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1502(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(C) Mandatory disclosure.--The Corporation shall
disclose information to the public described in section
506(m)(4).''.
SEC. 4. BENEFITS UNDER THE COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION CHARTER ACT.
Section 5 (15 U.S.C. 714c) of the Commodity Credit Corporation
Charter Act is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The
Secretary shall track the benefits provided, directly or indirectly, to
individuals and entities under this section, including the race and
gender of the individuals directly receiving the benefits or receiving
the benefits through an entity, and the rented, owned, or controlled
acreage of the farm or ranch of the recipient. The Secretary shall also
track the race and gender of the individuals who applied for the
benefits described in the preceding sentence and did not receive such
benefits. The Secretary shall annually make the information tracked
pursuant to the preceding two sentences publicly available on the
website of the Department of Agriculture and annually submit to the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, a
report that includes such information.''.
SEC. 5. FARM CREDIT TRANSPARENCY.
Section 704B(b) of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C.
1691c-2(b)) is amended by inserting ``farm or ranch,'' after
``minority-owned,'' both places it appears.
SEC. 6. SERVICE CENTER INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
The Secretary of Agriculture shall collect and track the race and
gender of any individual, or in the case of an entity, the individuals
comprising such entity, that registers on the service center
information management system of the Department of Agriculture.
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