Bill > S1661

This bill amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to establish a comprehensive emergency assistance program for farmworkers during various types of disasters. The bill defines a "covered disaster" broadly to include natural events like droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and extreme weather conditions, as well as unexpected health crises such as pandemics. It authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to eligible farmworker organizations (which are either membership-based groups or 501(c)(3) nonprofits with experience supporting farmworkers) to offer emergency relief. These grants can be used for direct financial assistance, building community resilience, providing infrastructure support like shelter, and delivering emergency services to farmworkers who have lost income or been unable to work due to a disaster. The legislation specifically targets migrant and seasonal farmworkers, defined as individuals who have earned at least half their income from farm work in a consecutive 12-month period. The Secretary is required to develop a promotional plan for distributing these grants and must consult with farmworker organizations throughout the process. Importantly, the funds granted to these organizations will remain available until they are fully expended, ensuring flexibility in disaster response.