I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9795 

To authorize a pilot program for the making of 90-year, zero interest loans 

for the purchase of real estate to be used for agricultural production 

for 90 years. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Ms. PEREZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To authorize a pilot program for the making of 90-year, 

zero interest loans for the purchase of real estate to 

be used for agricultural production for 90 years. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Helping Optimize Mar5 kets and Encourage Generational Resilience through Own6 ership, Workmanship, and Nurturing Soil Health Act’’ or 

7 the ‘‘HOMEGROWN Soil Health Act’’. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 9795 IH

1 SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM OF 90-YEAR, ZERO INTEREST 

2 LOANS FOR THE PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE 

3 TO BE USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUC4 TION FOR 90 YEARS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (in 

6 this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall— 

7 (1) conduct a pilot program under which loans 

8 are made by the Secretary to eligible farmers for the 

9 purchase of eligible cropland; and 

10 (2) monitor the productivity of eligible cropland 

11 purchased pursuant to the pilot program. 

12 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

13 (1) ELIGIBLE FARMER.—The term ‘‘eligible 

14 farmer’’ means a farmer who— 

15 (A) has participated in the business oper16 ations of a farm or ranch for not less than 10 

17 years; or 

18 (B) has other acceptable experience, as de19 termined by the Secretary. 

20 (2) ELIGIBLE LAND.—The term ‘‘eligible crop21 land’’— 

22 (A) means private or tribal land on which 

23 fruits or vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, hor24 ticulture, or nursery crops (including flori25 culture) are grown; 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 9795 IH

1 (B) includes other land incidental to land 

2 described in paragraph (1), if the Secretary de3 termines that including the other land is nec4 essary for the efficient administration of a loan 

5 to be made under this section; 

6 (C) not more than 2 percent of the surface 

7 of which is impervious; and 

8 (D) the total area of which does not exceed 

9 160 acres. 

10 (c) LOCATION OF LOAN RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary 

11 shall make loans under this section to recipients in 5 re12 gions of the United States selected by the Secretary, and 

13 the loan recipients in each region shall all be located with14 in a single radius of 100 miles. 

15 (d) ZERO-INTEREST LOAN.—A loan under this sec16 tion shall not bear interest. 

17 (e) LOAN TERM.—A loan under this section shall be 

18 repayable during a term of 90 years. 

19 (f) LOAN CONDITION.—As a condition of making a 

20 loan under this section, the Secretary shall require the 

21 borrower to use the cropland in a manner described in 

22 subsection (b)(2)(A) throughout the 90-year period that 

23 begins with the date the loan is made, and if that condi24 tion is violated, to repay the Secretary an amount equal 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 9795 IH

1 to 101 percent of the fair market value of the cropland 

2 at the time of the violation. 

3 (g) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary may prescribe 

4 such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section. 

5 (h) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall take effect 90 

6 days after the date of the enactment of this section. 

7 (i) TERMINATION.—The authority provided by this 

8 section shall expire on the date that is 5 years after the 

9 effective date of this Act. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS