I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6169 
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reform 
farm loans, to amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994 to reform the National Appeals Division process, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 20, 2025 
Ms. ADAMS (for herself and Ms. MCCLELLAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act to reform farm loans, to amend the Department 
of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to reform 
the National Appeals Division process, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fair Credit for Farm-
ers Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFERMENT OF PAYMENTS FOR BORROWERS OF 
FARM LOANS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED PRODUCER.—The term ‘‘covered 
producer’’ means— 
(A) a limited resource farmer or rancher 
(as defined in section 718.2 of title 7, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act)); 
(B) a socially disadvantaged farmer or 
rancher (as defined in section 2501(a) of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))); 
(C) a beginning farmer or rancher (as de-
fined in that section); and 
(D) a veteran farmer or rancher (as de-
fined in that section). 
(2) ELIGIBLE BORROWER.—The term ‘‘eligible 
borrower’’ means a borrower that is a farmer or 
rancher that is— 
(A) delinquent, as described in the defini-
tion of the term ‘‘delinquent borrower’’ in sec-
tion 761.2(b) of title 7, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
this Act); or 
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(B) financially distressed, as described in 
the definition of the term ‘‘financially distressed 
borrower’’ in section 761.2(b) of title 7, Code of 
Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act). 
(3) FARM LOAN.—The term ‘‘farm loan’’ means 
a direct or guaranteed— 
(A) farm ownership loan under subtitle A 
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.); 
(B) operating loan under subtitle B of that 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.); or 
(C) emergency loan under subtitle C of 
that Act (7 U.S.C. 1961 et seq.). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) DEFERMENT OF PAYMENTS ON DIRECT FARM 
LOANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
(A) defer payments of principal and inter-
est due on direct farm loans by eligible bor-
rowers during the 2-year period beginning on 
the date of enactment of this Act; and 
(B) extend by 2 years the maturity date 
and repayment period of each direct farm loan 
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the payments on which are deferred under sub-
paragraph (A). 
(2) EXCLUSION.—Paragraph (1) does not apply 
to a direct farm loan the term of which is 12 months 
or less. 
(3) AUTHORITY TO EXCEED LOAN MATURITY 
DATES.—In extending a date under paragraph 
(1)(B), the Secretary may exceed by not more than 
2 years— 
(A) the maximum period of repayment de-
scribed in section 307 of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1927) 
for a farm ownership loan under subtitle A of 
that Act (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.); 
(B) the maximum period of repayment de-
scribed in section 316(b) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 
1946(b)) for an operating loan under subtitle B 
of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.); and 
(C) the maximum period of repayment de-
scribed in section 324(d) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 
1964(d)) for an emergency loan under subtitle 
C of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1961 et seq.). 
(c) INTEREST RATE DURING DEFERRAL.—The Sec-
retary shall modify each direct farm loan of an eligible 
borrower that is outstanding as of the date of enactment 
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of this Act such that the interest rate on all remaining 
principal of the farm loan is 0.125 percent during the 2- 
year period beginning on that date of enactment. 
(d) WAIVER OF GUARANTEED FARM LOAN FEES FOR 
COVERED PRODUCERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall require 
lenders of guaranteed farm loans to covered pro-
ducers to waive guarantee fees (as described in sec-
tion 762.130(d)(4) of title 7, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
Act)) on those loans during the period— 
(A) beginning on the date of enactment of 
this Act; and 
(B) ending not earlier than 2 years after 
that date of enactment. 
(2) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend a 
deadline under paragraph (1)(B) by an additional 
180 days if the Secretary determines the extension 
to be necessary. 
SEC. 3. FARM LOAN REFORM. 
(a) GENERAL REFORMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle D of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act is amended 
by inserting after section 374 (7 U.S.C. 2008i) the 
following: 
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‘‘SEC. 375. FARMER PROGRAM LOAN REFORM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ADVERSE DECISION.—The term ‘adverse 
decision’ has the meaning given the term in section 
271 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganiza-
tion Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6991). 
‘‘(2) PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE.—The term ‘prin-
cipal residence’ means the principal residence (as de-
termined by the Secretary) of a borrower of a farm-
er program loan, including a residence and not more 
than 10 acres of adjoining land possessed and occu-
pied by the borrower. 
‘‘(b) DETERMINATION LETTERS AND ADVERSE DE-
CISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any adverse 
decision relating to a farmer program loan, a Farm 
Service Agency program benefit, or the noninsured 
crop disaster assistance program established by sec-
tion 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333), the Sec-
retary shall include in a determination letter pro-
vided to the applicant, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable— 
‘‘(A) a description of each reason known, 
or that reasonably should have been known, to 
the Secretary for that adverse decision; 
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‘‘(B) a reference to each regulation and 
each relevant instruction in the Farm Loan 
Programs handbook, the Noninsured Crop Dis-
aster Assistance Program handbook, or any 
other appropriate handbook published by the 
Farm Service Agency; and 
‘‘(C) instructions for accessing the Elec-
tronic Code of Federal Regulations and the 
handbooks described in subparagraph (B) on-
line. 
‘‘(2) EFFECT
OF
FAILURE
TO
STATE
REA-
SONS.—If the Secretary issues any adverse decision 
relating to an application for a farmer program loan, 
a Farm Service Agency program benefit, or the non-
insured crop disaster assistance program established 
by section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improve-
ment and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) and 
does not include in a determination letter provided 
to the applicant a reason known or which should 
have reasonably been known to the Secretary for 
that adverse decision, the Secretary may not subse-
quently issue an adverse decision to that applicant 
on the basis of the same reason, known or which 
should have reasonably been known to the Secretary, 
unless the circumstances of the applicant have sub-
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stantially changed since the issuance of the prior ad-
verse decision. 
‘‘(c) COLLATERALIZATION.— 
‘‘(1) ORIGINATION.—The Secretary may secure 
a direct farmer program loan with a principal resi-
dence only if the total value of other assets available 
to secure the farmer program loan does not provide 
adequate security (as defined in section 761.2(b) of 
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of the Fair Credit for Farm-
ers Act)) for the loan. 
‘‘(2) PARTIAL
RELEASE
OF
PRINCIPAL
RESI-
DENCE SECURITY.—In the case of a farmer program 
loan secured in part by a principal residence, the 
Secretary shall initiate a partial release of the prin-
cipal residence as security in accordance with sub-
part H of part 765 of title 7, Code of Federal Regu-
lations (as in effect on the date of enactment of the 
Fair Credit for Farmers Act), without any action re-
quired by the borrower, when the total value of other 
assets securing the farmer program loan is equal to 
100 percent of the remaining loan amount. 
‘‘(3) LOAN SERVICING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a farm-
er program loan borrower who is delinquent 
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prior to restructuring the farmer program loan, 
the borrower shall execute and provide to the 
Secretary a lien on assets necessary to achieve 
not more than 100 percent collateralization of 
the loan value. 
‘‘(B) BEST LIEN.—Except as provided in 
section 764.106 of title 7, Code of Federal Reg-
ulations (as in effect on the date of enactment 
of the Fair Credit for Farmers Act), the Sec-
retary shall take the best lien obtainable on as-
sets described in subparagraph (A), subject to 
the condition that a primary residence shall be 
the last option available to the Secretary to 
achieve 100 percent collateralization of the loan 
value. 
‘‘(4) PROHIBITION
ON
ADDITIONAL
SECU-
RITY.—The Secretary may not secure a direct farm-
er program loan with any property that provides se-
curity in excess of the amount of security value 
equal to the loan amount. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary 
shall not impose any limitation relating to the number of 
years in which a farmer program loan may be closed by 
a borrower.’’. 
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(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
196(b) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333(b)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) ADVERSE DECISIONS.—In the case of an 
adverse decision relating to an application under this 
subsection, section 375(b) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act shall apply.’’. 
(b) FARM LOAN ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) PERSONS
ELIGIBLE
FOR
DIRECT
FARM 
OWNERSHIP LOANS.—Section 302(b) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1922(b)) is amended— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make a 
direct loan under this subtitle only to a farmer or 
rancher who has at least 1 year of experience sub-
stantially participating in the management and busi-
ness operations of a farm or ranch, as determined 
by the Secretary.’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) WAIVER
AUTHORITY.—In the case of a 
qualified beginning farmer or rancher, the Secretary 
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may waive the 1-year requirement described in para-
graph (1) if the qualified beginning farmer or ranch-
er— 
‘‘(A) has an established relationship with 
an individual who has experience in farming or 
ranching, or with a local farm or ranch oper-
ator or organization, approved by the Secretary, 
that is committed to mentoring the qualified be-
ginning farmer or rancher; or 
‘‘(B) has other acceptable education or ex-
perience for an appropriate period of time, as 
determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(2) PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR DIRECT FARM OP-
ERATING LOANS.—Section 311 of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1941) 
is amended by striking subsection (c). 
(c) REFINANCING OF DEBT WITH FARM LOANS.— 
(1) ALLOWED PURPOSES OF FARM OWNERSHIP 
LOANS.—Section 303(a)(1) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1923(a)(1)) is amended by striking subparagraph 
(E) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(E) refinancing the indebtedness of the 
farmer or rancher, if the farmer or rancher— 
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‘‘(i) has used a direct loan under this 
subtitle to refinance indebtedness not more 
than 4 times previously; and 
‘‘(ii) is refinancing a debt obtained 
from a creditor other than the Secretary, 
including a guaranteed loan.’’. 
(2) ALLOWED
PURPOSES
OF
DIRECT
OPER-
ATING LOANS.—Section 312(a) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1942(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (9) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(9) refinancing the indebtedness of a borrower; 
or’’. 
(d) EFFECT
OF PREFERRED LENDER CERTIFI-
CATION.—Section 339(d)(4)(B) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1989(d)(4)(B)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘institutions to’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘institutions— 
‘‘(i) to’’; and 
(2) in clause (i) (as so designated)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘subsection relating’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subsection, relating’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘worthiness, the’’ and in-
serting ‘‘worthiness or the’’; and 
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(C) by striking ‘‘collection and liquidation 
of loans, and to’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘or collection of loans; and 
‘‘(ii) to’’. 
(e) LOAN FUND SET-ASIDES FOR BEGINNING FARM-
ERS AND RANCHERS.—Section 346(b)(2) of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1994(b)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (i)(II), by inserting ‘‘, to the 
extent practicable’’ after ‘‘April 1 of the fiscal 
year’’; and 
(B) in clause (iii), by inserting ‘‘, to the 
extent practicable’’ after ‘‘September 1 of the 
fiscal year’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by inserting ‘‘, to 
the extent practicable’’ after ‘‘April 1 of the fiscal 
year’’. 
(f) REMOVAL OF ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTION BASED 
ON PREVIOUS DEBT WRITE-DOWN OR OTHER LOSS.— 
Section 373 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 2008h) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(A)— 
(A) by striking clause (i); 
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(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘chapters 11, 
12, or 13 of Title 11 of the’’ and inserting 
‘‘chapter 11, 12, or 13 of title 11,’’; and 
(C) by redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) 
as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; and 
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) PROHIBITION
ON ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTION 
BASED ON DEBT WRITE-DOWN OR OTHER LOSS.—The 
Secretary shall not restrict the eligibility of a borrower for 
a farm ownership or operating loan under subtitle A or 
B based on a previous debt write-down or other loss to 
the Secretary.’’. 
(g) EQUITABLE RELIEF.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 366 of the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
2008a) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(1) 
received’’ and inserting ‘‘(1)(A) received’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2)— 
(I) by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
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(II) by striking ‘‘(2) the Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘(B) the Sec-
retary’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2)(A) received a benefit under any other pro-
gram administered by an agency (as defined in sec-
tion 271 of the Department of Agriculture Reorga-
nization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6991)); and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines is not in compli-
ance with the requirements of the provisions of law 
that authorize that program.’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding having made management or financial 
decisions for the farming or ranching operation 
of the farmer or rancher that were detrimental 
due to the erroneous nature of an official com-
munication from the Department of Agri-
culture, regardless of whether a financial ben-
efit was received or only promised’’ before the 
period at the end; 
(C) in subsection (c)(1), by striking 
‘‘(a)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)(1)(B)’’; 
(D) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘section’’ 
in the matter preceding paragraph (1) and all 
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that follows through ‘‘shall not be’’ in para-
graph (2) and inserting ‘‘section shall be’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) AUTHORITY OF NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION 
HEARING OFFICERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A hearing officer (as de-
fined in section 271 of the Department of Agri-
culture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
6991)) may provide equitable relief under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW.—The Secretary may review a de-
cision of a hearing officer (as so defined) to grant 
equitable relief pursuant to paragraph (1). 
‘‘(g) CASES
IN WHICH
AN APPLICANT IS ELIGI-
BLE.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) ADVERSE DECISION.—The term ‘ad-
verse decision’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 271 of the Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6991). 
‘‘(B) APPLICANT.—The term ‘applicant’ 
means a person who submitted to, or attempted 
to submit to, the Farm Service Agency an ap-
plication for— 
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‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—The amount of equitable 
relief under subparagraph (A) shall be the 
amount equal to the difference between— 
‘‘(i) the projected income described in 
the application; and 
‘‘(ii) the projected expenses described 
in the application. 
‘‘(3) DENIAL BASED ON ELIGIBILITY.—A loan 
applicant shall be eligible for equitable relief under 
this section if— 
‘‘(A) feasibility was not listed as a reason 
for an adverse decision in the determination let-
ter provided to the applicant; 
‘‘(B) eligibility was listed as a reason for 
an adverse decision in the determination letter 
provided to the applicant; 
‘‘(C) the National Appeals Division deter-
mines that the Farm Service Agency was in 
error in denying the loan based on eligibility; 
and 
‘‘(D) the original application submitted by 
the applicant is no longer feasible due to the 
delay caused by the erroneous denial by the 
Farm Service Agency and the length of the ap-
peals process. 
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‘‘(4) SUBSEQUENTLY
WITHDRAWN
ADVERSE 
DECISION.—An applicant shall be eligible for equi-
table relief under this section if— 
‘‘(A) the Farm Service Agency issued an 
adverse decision on an application that the 
Farm Service Agency subsequently withdrew; 
and 
‘‘(B) the original application submitted by 
the applicant is no longer feasible due to the 
delay caused by the adverse decision. 
‘‘(5) PROMISED PROGRAM BENEFITS NOT RE-
CEIVED.—An applicant shall be eligible for equitable 
relief under this section if— 
‘‘(A) the Farm Service Agency indicated in 
an official communication made after the date 
of enactment of this subsection that the appli-
cant could expect the loan, benefit, or payment, 
and then reversed its decision; and 
‘‘(B) the applicant acted in good faith.’’. 
(2) APPLICATION.—Subsection (g) of section 
366 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 2008a)— 
(A) applies only with respect to applica-
tions submitted or attempted to be submitted, 
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and decisions or communications made, after 
the date of enactment of this Act; and 
(B) does not apply retroactively with re-
spect to— 
(i) any application submitted or at-
tempted to be submitted, or decision or 
communication made, before that date of 
enactment; or 
(ii) any action, inaction, or con-
sequence resulting from a decision or com-
munication made before that date of enact-
ment. 
SEC. 4. NATIONAL APPEALS DIVISION REFORM. 
(a) BURDEN OF PROOF.—Section 277(c)(4) of the 
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 
U.S.C. 6997(c)(4)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The appellant’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the appellant’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) 
APPELLANTS
BELOW
INCOME 
THRESHOLD.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an 
appellant described in clause (ii), the agen-
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cy shall bear the burden of proving by sub-
stantial evidence that the adverse decision 
of the agency was not erroneous. 
‘‘(ii) APPELLANTS
DESCRIBED.—An 
appellant referred to in clause (i) is an ap-
pellant— 
‘‘(I) the adjusted gross income of 
which for the previous year is not 
more than $300,000; or 
‘‘(II) the average annual adjusted 
gross income of which for the previous 
5-year period is not more than 
$300,000.’’. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Section 280 of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
7000) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENT.—In implementing a final deter-
mination in accordance with subsection (a), the head of 
an agency shall use the information used by the Division 
to make the final determination, without requiring addi-
tional information on which implementation would be con-
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ditioned, except as otherwise provided in the decision letter 
relating to the final determination.’’. 
Æ 
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