Tuesday, July 14, 2026
USDA, SBA Sign Agreement to Address Regulatory Complaints From Farmers and Ranchers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Small Business Administration have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate responses to regulatory complaints from farmers, ranchers and small businesses.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Small Business Administration have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate responses to regulatory complaints from farmers, ranchers and small businesses.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the agreement, which establishes a partnership between the USDA and the SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman. The agencies said the effort expands the USDA's Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework by providing a process for reviewing complaints submitted through the USDA Lawfare Portal.
"Producers and ranchers who feed this nation should never face the full power of government alone," said Rollins. "This partnership with the SBA creates clear pathways for redress, ensures fairness in enforcement, and demonstrates that Washington stands with, not against, the hardworking Americans who sustain our country. Through the USDA Lawfare Portal and interagency collaboration, we are delivering real protection under the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework."
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agreement will give producers a way to report what the administration describes as regulatory lawfare.
"Farmers and ranchers do some of the hardest and most essential work in America, yet they have faced a growing burden from costly federal regulations - crushing generational businesses that lack the time, money, or legal resources to fight back," said Loeffler. "With our MOU, the SBA and USDA now offer America's producers a direct line to report lawfare, with a new infrastructure to deliver lasting regulatory reform. Thanks to President Trump's leadership, we are eliminating barriers and supporting small businesses in their mission to keep America fed, clothed, and fueled."
The agreement creates a joint process for reviewing complaints involving federal agencies, identifying regulatory trends and recommending policy changes. The agencies said they also plan to coordinate with the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice and other federal agencies.
USDA highlighted several actions it said have been taken under the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework, including resolving disputes involving farms and ranches in New Jersey, Tennessee and South Dakota, revising agency rules and guidance, and completing 73 deregulatory actions during fiscal year 2025.
The department also cited cases involving producers in Arizona, Montana, Washington, Utah and New York as examples of regulatory disputes the administration said have affected agricultural operations.
This report was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the agreement, which establishes a partnership between the USDA and the SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman. The agencies said the effort expands the USDA's Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework by providing a process for reviewing complaints submitted through the USDA Lawfare Portal.
"Producers and ranchers who feed this nation should never face the full power of government alone," said Rollins. "This partnership with the SBA creates clear pathways for redress, ensures fairness in enforcement, and demonstrates that Washington stands with, not against, the hardworking Americans who sustain our country. Through the USDA Lawfare Portal and interagency collaboration, we are delivering real protection under the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework."
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the agreement will give producers a way to report what the administration describes as regulatory lawfare.
"Farmers and ranchers do some of the hardest and most essential work in America, yet they have faced a growing burden from costly federal regulations - crushing generational businesses that lack the time, money, or legal resources to fight back," said Loeffler. "With our MOU, the SBA and USDA now offer America's producers a direct line to report lawfare, with a new infrastructure to deliver lasting regulatory reform. Thanks to President Trump's leadership, we are eliminating barriers and supporting small businesses in their mission to keep America fed, clothed, and fueled."
The agreement creates a joint process for reviewing complaints involving federal agencies, identifying regulatory trends and recommending policy changes. The agencies said they also plan to coordinate with the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Justice and other federal agencies.
USDA highlighted several actions it said have been taken under the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework, including resolving disputes involving farms and ranches in New Jersey, Tennessee and South Dakota, revising agency rules and guidance, and completing 73 deregulatory actions during fiscal year 2025.
The department also cited cases involving producers in Arizona, Montana, Washington, Utah and New York as examples of regulatory disputes the administration said have affected agricultural operations.
This report was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
