Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Congressional research reportApr 15, 2026
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs
for Rural Businesses
Updated April 15, 2026
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R47438
Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses: In Brief
Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
USDA Programs .............................................................................................................................. 2
Revolving Loan Funds .............................................................................................................. 3
Intermediary Relending Program ........................................................................................ 3
Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program ................................................... 4
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program .................................................................... 6
Loan Guarantees........................................................................................................................ 8
Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program ................................................................ 8
Grants ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Value-Added Producer Grant Program ............................................................................... 9
Healthy Food Financing Initiative .................................................................................... 10
Small Business Administration Programs ...................................................................................... 11
Loans and Loan Guarantees ..................................................................................................... 11
7(a) Program ...................................................................................................................... 11
504/Certified Development Company Loan Program ...................................................... 12
Microloan Program ........................................................................................................... 12
Other Credit Assistance Programs ................................................................................................. 13
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration ............................. 13
Appalachian Regional Commission ........................................................................................ 14
Considerations for Congress.......................................................................................................... 15
Federal Role in Rural Business Credit Assistance .................................................................. 15
Farm Bill ................................................................................................................................. 16
USDA Business Programs....................................................................................................... 16
Tables
Table 1. Selected U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Credit Assistance and Grant Programs ......................................................................................... 2
Table 2. Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program Spending Limits and
Funding ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Table 3. SBA Credit Assistance Programs..................................................................................... 13
Table 4. Selected EDA and ARC Access to Capital Programs ...................................................... 15
Contacts
Author Information........................................................................................................................ 17
Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Introduction
More than 366,000 businesses are located in rural areas across the United States, employing more
than 4.4 million workers according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 Economic Survey.1 Many
rural entrepreneurs face challenges accessing capital to help start, expand, and modernize their
businesses.2 A decline in the number of banks located in rural areas has limited access to capital
for many rural businesses.3 The decline in rural banks also has led to an increased use of nonbank
alternatives for business loans, such as payday loans, that tend to charge high fees and interest
rates.4
Federal agencies administer credit assistance and grant programs to help fill the private market
capital gap for rural businesses, including for-profit and not-for-profit businesses (e.g., rural
cooperatives). Credit assistance programs use three strategies to help rural businesses access
capital:
1. provide capital directly to businesses through loans for business expenses;
2. provide capital to lenders who then issue loans to businesses; and
3. guarantee loans provided by lenders;
Many federal credit assistance programs require businesses to certify that they are unable to
obtain credit elsewhere.5 This requirement attempts to ensure that federal credit assistance
programs do not compete with local banks, but instead fill a gap that is unmet by local banks. A
limited number of federal programs provide grants to for-profit businesses in certain industries.
This report provides an overview of selected federal credit assistance and grant programs that
support rural businesses. The report focuses on programs administered by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), as well as the Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC), a federal regional commission. The report also details select policy
considerations for federal credit assistant programs supporting rural businesses.
1 Data compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s “2023 Economic
Survey: Business Dynamics Statistics: Establishment Age – 1978-2023.” CRS filtered the data set for businesses in
rural areas as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Census Bureau defines rural areas as areas not in
metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas (i.e., rural areas are areas with fewer than 10,000 people). Federal
agencies use multiple definitions of rural. The different uses of the term rural will be identified in context in this
report.
2 Center on Rural Innovation, Rural America’s Struggle to Access Private Capital, issued May 25, 2025, available at
https://ruralinnovation.us/resources/reports/rural-americas-struggle-to-access-private-capital/.
3 “Consumers and small business owners in communities experiencing considerable bank branch closures are finding
local substitutes for some, but not all, of the services they used to access at the local bank branch. However, they
generally report doing so at increased cost and reduced convenience, and these challenges appear to be exacerbated for
certain groups, such as those with lower incomes, older individuals, and small business owners” (see Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Perspectives from Main Street: Bank Branch Access in Rural Communities,
November 2019, p. 11, at https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/bank-branch-access-in-ruralcommunities.pdf).
4 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Perspectives from Main Street: Bank Branch Access in Rural
Communities, November 2019.
5 Credit elsewhere is defined in 15 U.S.C. §632(h) as the “availability of credit on reasonable terms and conditions to
the individual loan applicant from non-federal, non-state, non-local government sources.” Businesses may be unable to
obtain credit from local banks for a number of reasons, including poor credit history, poor cash flow, or lack of
collateral. For more information, see Matthew Gillman, “7 Reasons You May Have Been Denied Business Financing,”
America’s Small Business Development Center, blog post, April 18, 2022.
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
USDA Programs
USDA administers six credit assistance and grant programs through the Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBCS) that help expand access to credit and capital for rural businesses.
These programs use revolving loan funds, loan guarantees, and grants to support rural businesses.
Table 1 provides a summary of these USDA programs, including the type of services provided
and the statutory authority.
Table 1. Selected U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative
Service Credit Assistance and Grant Programs
Funding
Mechanism
Program
U.S. Code
Program Description
Business and Industry
Loan Guarantee Program
7 U.S.C. §1932(g)
Loan guarantees to
eligible lenders.
Provides loan guarantees to eligible
lenders for lending to qualified rural
businesses.a
Healthy Food Financing
Initiative
7 U.S.C. §6953
Grants to eligible
entities.
Provides grants to eligible entities to
increase access to healthy foods in
underserved areas.
Intermediary Relending
Program
7 U.S.C. §1936b
Loans to eligible
lenders.
Provides 1% interest rate loans to
eligible lenders to capitalize revolving
loan funds. Lenders issue loans to
qualified rural businesses from funds
for certain business expenses.a
Rural Economic
Development Loan and
Grant Program
7 U.S.C. §940c-2
Loans and financial
awards to eligible
rural utilities.
Provides 0% interest rate loans to
eligible rural utilities that then provide
0% interest rate loans to qualified
rural entities for projects that create
or retain rural jobs. Also provides
financial awards, which operate
similarly to 0% interest loans, to
eligible rural utilities to capitalize
revolving loan funds. Lenders issue
loans to qualified rural entities from
the funds for certain project expenses
related to rural jobs.a
Rural Microentrepreneur
Assistance Program
(RMAP)
7 U.S.C. §2008s
Loans and grants to
eligible lenders.
Provides loans to eligible lenders to
capitalize revolving loan funds.
Lenders issue loans to rural
microenterprisesb for qualified
business expenses. Provides grants to
eligible lenders to provide technical
assistance to rural microenterprises.
Value-Added Producer
Grant Program
7 U.S.C. §1627c
Grants to eligible
businesses.
Provides grants to eligible agricultural
producers to create new products,
expand marketing opportunities, and
increase producer income.
Source: Compiled by CRS from agency information, U.S. Code, and the 2026 U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Budget Explanatory Notes for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS).
Notes: For the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program, USDA refers to the funding provided to
eligible rural utilities to capital revolving loan funds as grants. For the purpose of this report, CRS refers to the
funding as financial awards rather than grants because recipients are required to repay USDA for the funding,
which is atypical for grants.
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
a.
b.
For these programs, rural is an area with fewer than 50,000 people and not adjacent or contiguous to a city
of more than 50,000 people (7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(A)). Some exceptions apply (7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(H), 7
U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(I)). USDA refers to the 0% interest loans used to capitalize revolving loan funds as
“grants.” USDA requires the grants to be repaid when the applicants close the revolving funds. USDA does
not charge interest on the grants.
Rural microenterprises are sole proprietors or businesses with 10 or fewer full-time employees in rural areas
(7 U.S.C. §2008s(a)(6) “Rural microenterprise”). A rural area is an area with fewer than 50,000 people and
not adjacent or contiguous to a city of more than 50,000 people (7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(A)).
Revolving Loan Funds
USDA administers three programs that provide credit assistance to rural businesses through
revolving loan funds. Revolving loan funds are structured so that loans are issued to businesses,
businesses repay their loans, lenders use the payments to replenish the funds, and then lenders
issue more loans to businesses from the funds.6 USDA provides loans and financial awards to
lenders to capitalize revolving loan funds.
One advantage to using the revolving loan fund structure is that USDA issues a single loan or
financial awards to a lender, which then may be used to issue multiple rounds of loans to
businesses over time. The USDA programs that can be used to support revolving loan funds are
the Intermediary Relending Program, Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program,
and Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program.
Intermediary Relending Program
The Intermediary Relending Program provides loans to eligible lenders to establish revolving
loan funds.7 The lenders then issue loans from the funds to the ultimate recipients to
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promote community development,
establish new businesses,
establish and support microlending programs, and
create or retain employment opportunities in rural areas.8
Eligible lenders include public agencies, Indian tribes, cooperatives, and nonprofit corporations.
Lenders can issue loans to qualified rural businesses from the revolving loan funds established
through the program. Qualified rural businesses must be located in rural areas (i.e., towns,
villages, unincorporated areas) of 50,000 or fewer people and not adjacent to cities of over 50,000
people.9
Lenders can provide loans to rural businesses to pay for a range of expenses such as business
construction, conversion, repair, and modernization, as well as purchasing land and equipment.10
6 For more information about revolving loan funds, see CRS In Focus IF11449, Economic Development Revolving
Loan Funds (ED-RLFs).
7 The Intermediary Relending Program is authorized by Section 310H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. §1936b), as added by Section 6107(a) of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (2014 farm bill; P.L.
113-79).
8 7 C.F.R. §4274.301(b).
9 7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(A).
10 7 C.F.R. §4274.320(b)(2).
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Lenders can issue loans of up to $400,000 to businesses or loans of up to 50% of the loan the
lenders received from USDA, whichever is less.11
The USDA loans issued to the lenders have a fixed interest rate of 1% and a maximum loan
repayment term of 30 years.12 The lenders pay interest-only payments to USDA for the initial
three years of the repayment period. The maximum loan that USDA can provide to lenders is
listed in funding opportunity notices issued in the Federal Register.13 In FY2025, USDA provided
loans of up to $1 million to lenders.
Lenders set the interest rates, loan repayment terms, and payment structures for the loans they
issue to rural businesses through the revolving loan funds. The interest rate charged by lenders to
the rural businesses must be the lowest rate sufficient to cover the revolving loan’s debt service
reserve and administrative costs.
Loan authority is the amount of loans that the federal agency has the authority to issue. A loan
subsidy is the cost to administer the program at the authorized loan authority level. Congress
provided discretionary funding for the Intermediary Relending Program’s loan authority and loan
subsidies through annual appropriations acts from FY2022 to FY2026.14 In FY2022 and FY2023,
Congress set the loan authority for program at $19 million each year, and appropriated $6 million
and $8 million, respectively, for the loan subsidy to support the loan authority and administrative
expenses. In FY2024 and FY2025, Congress reduced the loan authority to $10 million each year
and appropriated $8 million each year for the loan subsidy and administrative expenses. In
FY2026, Congress further reduced the loan authority to $9 million and appropriated $7 million
for the loan subsidy and administrative expenses. From FY2022 to FY2026, the loan subsidy rate
to support the loan authority increased each fiscal year, starting with 8% in FY2022 and
increasing to 34% in FY2026.15 That means that the cost to issue loans through the program
increased each year during that time.
Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program aims to provide 0% interest rate
loans and financial awards that operate similarly to 0% interest rate loans to eligible rural utilities
to promote economic development and create jobs in rural areas.16 Eligible rural utilities include
current or previous borrowers of certain Rural Utilities Service (RUS) loans and loan guarantees.
Eligible rural utilities also include rural utilities eligible to apply for certain RUS loans and loan
guarantees. The utilities use the funds from USDA to provide loans to qualified rural entities for
projects that create or retain rural jobs. Qualified rural entities are for-profit entities, nonprofit
11 7 U.S.C. §1936b(e).
12 7 C.F.R. §4274.330.
13 7 C.F.R. §4274.330(f)(2).
14 P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, P.L. 119-37.
15 The loan subsidy rate for the Intermediary Relending Program increased each year from 8% in FY2022 to 34% in
FY2025 according to the Credit Supplement accompanying the FY2026 President’s Request. The loan subsidy rate for
FY2026 was not provided in the Credit Supplement. The loan subsidy rate takes into account the cost to issue loans
through the program and considers administrative costs, number of loan defaults, and difference between interest rate
of the federal loans compared to the market interest rate for loans.
16 The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program is authorized by Section 313B of the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. §940c-2), as amended by Section 6504(c) of the Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334).
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
entities, public bodies, or federally recognized tribes in rural areas. Rural areas for this program
are areas of 50,000 or fewer people and not adjacent to cities of over 50,000 people.17
USDA provides 0% interest loans to help eligible rural utilities capitalize revolving loan funds.
The utilities then use the revolving loan funds to issue loans to qualified rural entities. When the
utilities stop administering the revolving loan funds, they are required to pay back to USDA the
financial awards they initially received. USDA refers to the financial awards provided to eligible
rural utilities as grants. The funding operates more similarly to a 0% interest loan that is required
to be paid back in full when then revolving loan funds are closed.
USDA also provides eligible rural utilities with 0% interest rate loans that the utilities pass
through to local businesses to finance projects.18 These loans have a maximum repayment term of
10 years.19
Each fiscal year, USDA publishes a notice in the Federal Register of the maximum loan and grant
amounts for eligible RUS borrowers. For FY2026, the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative
Service issued loans of up to $300,000 to capitalize revolving loan funds and loans of up to $1
million for individual projects.20
Table 2 shows the spending limits for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program
from FY2022 to FY2026. In all but one of those fiscal years, Congress set the spending limit for
loans to capitalize revolving loan funds at $10 million and the loan authority at $50 million. In
FY2023, Congress increased the spending limit for financial awards to $15 million and the loan
authority to $75 million. Table 2 also shows the funding sources for the program from FY2022 to
FY2026. During that time, Congress funded the program through
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•
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334),21
Cushion of Credit interest spending,22 and
underwriting fees.23
Table 2. Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program Spending Limits
and Funding
FY2022 to FY2026
Funding
FY2022
FY2023
FY2024
FY2025
FY2026
$10 million
$15 million
$10 million
$10 million
$10 million
Spending Limits
Loan subsidiesa
17 7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(A).
18 7 C.F.R. §4280.2(a).
19 7 C.F.R. §4280.16.
USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, “Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Economic Development
Loan and Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2026,” Notice issued in the Federal Register on September 15, 2025 (90
Federal Register 176).
21 The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334, §6504).
22 Congress provided funding for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program through a rural economic
development subaccount tied to the Cushion of Credit Payment Program, which allows USDA borrowers to deposit
payments into interest-accruing accounts. Congress set a spending limit on the amount USDA could use of the funds
available in the subaccount (7 U.S.C. §940c(b)(2)).
23 7 U.S.C. §940c-2(e)(3)(B) provides USDA the authority to use underwriting fees collected from certain USDA rural
electric and telecommunications loan guarantee programs to support the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant
Program.
20
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Funding
FY2022
FY2023
FY2024
FY2025
FY2026
Loan authority
$50 million
$75 million
$50 million
$50 million
$50 million
Appropriations and Other Funding
Agriculture Improvement Act
of 2018b
$5 million
$5 million
$5 million
$0
$0
Cushion of Credit interest
spendingc
$50 million
$75 million
$75 million
$75 million
$75 million
Underwriting feesd
$20 million
$23 million
$23 million
$24 million
$24 million
Total
$75 million
$103 million
$103 million
$99 million
$99 million
Source: P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, P.L. 11937. USDA Budget Explanatory Notes for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service for 2025 (Table RBCS-28) and
2026 (Table RBCS-31).
a. Loan Subsidy referred to the cost to issues 0% interest loans to capitalize revolving loan funds. This is
referred to as “grants” in the USDA Budget Explanatory Notes for the Rural Business-Cooperative Service
for 2025 and 2026.
b. Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 refers to funding provided through section 6504 of P.L. 115-334 and the
subsequent one-year extension of the law through P.L. 118-22 (Division B, §102(d)(4)).
c. Cushion of Credit interest spending refers to the spending limit Congress provided for the Rural Economic
Development subaccount tied to the Cushion of Credit Payment Program through the explanatory
statements of annual appropriations acts (7 U.S.C. §940c(b)(2)).
d. Underwriting fees refers to underwriting fees collected from certain USDA rural electric and
telecommunications loan guarantee programs. 7 U.S.C. §940c-2(e)(3)(B) provides USDA the authority to
use those fees to support the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. FY2022 through
FY2024 are actual funding used from fees, and FY2025 and FY2026 are reported estimated funding to be
used from fees.
Congress appropriated $5 million each year in mandatory funding for FY2022 through FY2024
for the program through the 2018 farm bill and a subsequent one-year extension (P.L. 118-22,
Division B, §102(d)(4)).
In FY2022, Congress set the spending limit for USDA to use Cushion of Credit subaccount
funding for the program to $50 million. From FY2023 to FY2026, Congress set the spending
limit for USDA to use Cushion of Credit subaccount funding to $75 million each year.
From FY2022 to FY2026, USDA also used underwriting fees to support the program. USDA
used $20 million in fees for the program in FY2022, $23 million in fees each year for FY2023
and FY2024, and $24 million in fees each year for FY2025 and FY2026.
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program
The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise
Development Organizations (MDOs) to support the development of rural microenterprises.24
Rural microenterprises are sole proprietors or businesses with 10 for fewer full-time equivalent
employees in rural areas.25 For this program, rural areas are areas with 50,000 or fewer people
and not adjacent to cities of more than 50,000 people.26
24 The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) is authorized by Section 379E of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. §2008s), as added by Section 6022 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act
of 2008 (P.L. 110-246).
25 7 U.S.C. §2008s(a)(6).
26 7 U.S.C. §1991(a)(13)(A).
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
MDOs are certain organizations that (1) provide training and technical assistance to rural
microentrepreneurs, (2) facilitate access to capital or certain other services for rural
microenterprises, and (3) have a demonstrated record of delivering services to rural
microentrepreneurs or a plan to do so.27 Entities eligible to become MDOs are nonprofit
organizations, Indian tribes that meet certain conditions, and public institutions of higher
education.28
USDA issues loans to MDOs to capitalize revolving loan funds that provide loans to rural
microenterprises. Loans issued by MDOs to rural microenterprises can be up to $50,000 and have
a maximum repayment term of 20 years. MDO loans can cover a maximum of 75% of the project
costs. USDA loans to MDOs have a fixed interest rate of 1% and have a repayment term of up to
20 years. USDA loans for MDOs may be from $50,000 to $500,000.
Rural microentrepreneurs receiving loans from MDOs can use those funds for various business
expenses such as
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•
working capital,
debt refinancing,
equipment and supply purchases, and
real estate improvements.29
MDOs are eligible to receive annual noncompetitive grants from USDA to provide technical
assistance to rural microentrepreneurs receiving loans from MDOs through the program. These
grants can be from 20% to 25% of the total outstanding balance of loans issued by the MDOs
through the program. A maximum of 10% of the USDA grant to the MDO can cover the MDO’s
administrative expenses. MDOs are required to match of at least 15% of the amount of the USDA
grant. For FY2025, the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service set the maximum amount of
the grant to MDOs at $100,000.30
From FY2022 to FY2026, Congress provided discretionary funding for the Rural
Microentrepreneur Assistance Program through annual appropriations acts.31 In FY2022,
Congress provided $150 million in loan authority and appropriated $7 million for grants. The
program did not require a loan subsidy to support the loan authority for the program. In FY2023,
Congress reduced the loan authority to $25 million and provided $6 million for the loan subsidy
to support the loan authority and for grants. In FY2024 and FY2025, Congress reduced the loan
authority further to $20 million each year and appropriated $5 million for a loan subsidy to
support the loan authority and for grants. In FY2026, Congress again reduced the loan authority
to $17 million and appropriated $4 million for a loan subsidy to support the loan authority and for
grants.
27 7 U.S.C. §2008s(a)(3).
28 7 U.S.C. §2008s(a)(3).
29 7 C.F.R. §4280.322(f).
30 USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, “Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Rural Microentrepreneur
Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2025,” Issued in the Federal Register on August 20, 2024 (89 Federal Register
67411).
31 P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, and P.L. 119-37.
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
Loan Guarantees
Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program
The Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program provides loan guarantees for projects that
develop rural businesses and rural industries in rural communities.32 The program provides loan
guarantees for projects that improve the economic and environmental climate in rural
communities; conserve, develop, and use water for aquaculture in rural areas; encourage the
development of renewable energy systems; and facilitate economic development opportunities for
certain industries.33
Through the program, USDA guarantees loans that are issued by eligible lenders. Eligible lenders
issue loans to qualified entities that would not be able to get a loan on their own with reasonable
terms. USDA reduces the risk for the lenders by guaranteeing that USDA will reimburse the
lenders for a portion of the losses they incur from loan defaults.
Rural businesses can use loans issued by the eligible lenders for a wide range of activities, such as
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•
enlarging, repairing, modernizing, or developing businesses;
purchasing and developing land, buildings, and associated infrastructure;
purchasing and installing machinery, equipment, supplies, or inventory;
refinancing debt when refinancing improves cash flow and creates jobs; and
acquiring businesses when the loan will maintain business operations and create
or save jobs.34
Each year, USDA publishes a notice in the Federal Register listing the loan guarantee percentage
for the program, as well as fees that are charged to the lenders to participate in the program.
These fees include a guarantee fee and retention fee. For FY2025, the loan guarantee percentage
was 80% for the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program, the guarantee fee was 3%, and
the periodic guarantee retention fee was 0.55%.35 Higher loan guarantee percentages and reduced
fees were provided for certain projects.
The program can guarantee loans of up to $10 million for most projects. Guarantees for loans up
to $25 million are allowed under certain circumstances at the discretion of the Rural BusinessCooperative Service administrator. The Secretary of Agriculture must approve loan guarantees
that exceed $25 million and go up to $40 million.36 Loan guarantees for this amount must be for
rural cooperative organizations that process value-added agricultural commodities and meet
certain conditions. The lenders and borrowers negotiate the interest rate for the loan. The
maximum loan repayment term for the borrower is 40 years.
32 The Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program is authorized by Section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. §1932(g)), as added by Section 118(a) of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (P.L.
92-419).
33 7 U.S.C. §1932(g)(1), 7 U.S.C. §§1932(a)(2)(A) - (a)(2)(D), and 7 C.F.R. §4279.113.
34 7 C.F.R. §5001.105(b).
35 USDA Rural Development, “OneRD Annual Notice of Guarantee Fee Rates, Periodic Retention Fee Rates, Loan
Guarantee Percentage and Fee for Issuance of the Loan Note Guarantee Prior to Construction Completion for Fiscal
Year 2025,” Notice issued on June 25, 2024, in the Federal Register (89 Federal Register 53041).
36 7 C.F.R. §4279.119(a)(2).
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Federal Credit Assistance and Grant Programs for Rural Businesses
From FY2022 to FY2026, Congress set different amounts for the loan authority in annual
appropriations acts.37 The loan authority each year ranged from $1.25 billion to $1.80 billion. The
loan subsidy each year ranged from $16 million to $39 million to support the loan authority. For
FY2026, Congress provided loan authority of $1.75 billion, supported by a $16 million loan
subsidy.
Grants
USDA also offers grants to businesses in certain industries to pay for eligible business expenses.
USDA administers two grant programs: the Value-Added Producer Grant Program and the
Healthy Food Financing Initiative.38 The USDA grant programs differ from the loan and loan
guarantee programs, described above, which require businesses or business projects to be located
in rural areas. Instead, these grant programs provide grants to qualified rural and non-rural
businesses.
Value-Added Producer Grant Program
The Value-Added Producer Grant Program provides grants to agricultural producers to help them
generate new value-added agricultural products, expand their marketing for existing value-added
agricultural products, and improve the profitability of their businesses.39 The Value-Added
Producer Grant Program is part of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP).40 Value-added
agricultural products are agricultural commodities or products that have gained value through a
process (e.g., heating berries to make jam), growing technique (e.g., sustainably grown), or being
marketed as a locally produced product.41
The program provides planning grants to pay for activities that help determine the viability of a
potential value-added project, such as conducting a feasibility study. The program also provides
working capital grants that help applicants carry out a value-added project and pay for eligible
expenses related to processing or marketing value-added agricultural products. Grants can pay for
up to 50% of the study or project costs. Eligible applicants include independent producers of
value-added agricultural products, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives,
or majority-controlled producer-based businesses. The maximum grant amount is $500,000.
USDA issues notices in the Federal Register stating the maximum grant amounts for the program
each fiscal year. The FY2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the program stated that the
maximum planning grants were $50,000 and the maximum working capital grants were $200,000
for FY2026.42
From FY2022 to FY2026, Congress provided discretionary funding for the program through
annual appropriations acts.43 In FY2022 and FY2023, Congress appropriated $13 million each
37 P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, and P.L. 119-37.
38 The Intermediary Relending Program is the one program administered by the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative
Service that requires the grants issued to applicants to be repaid.
39 The Value-Added Producer Grant Program is authorized by Section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946
(7 U.S.C. 1627c), as added by Section 10102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334).
40 The Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) includes the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program
and the Value-Added Producer Grant Program.
41 The definition of a value-added agricultural product is provided in 7 U.S.C. §1627c(a)(12).
42 USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, “Value-Added Producer Grant: Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding
Opportunity,” February 17, 2026, Funding Opportunity Number: RDBCP-VAPG-2026, https://www.rd.usda.gov/
media/file/download/usda-rd-vapg-nofo-fy26.pdf.
43 P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, and P.L. 119-37.
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year for the program through annual appropriations. Congress reduced the funding to $12 million
each year in FY2024 and FY2025, and further reduced the funding to $8 million in FY2026.
Congress has also directed LAMP to receive $50 million of mandatory funds from the
Commodity Credit Corporation annually.44 Statute states that 35% of the LAMP funding each
year is to be allocated to the Value-Added Producer Grant Program.45 As a result, the ValueAdded Producer Grant Program received approximately $18 million each fiscal year in
mandatory funding from FY2022 to FY2026.
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
The Healthy Food Financing Initiative provides loans, grants, and technical assistance to eligible
retailers and enterprises of certain foods to help them overcome the higher costs associated with
entering into rural communities that are low-income and have limited food access.46 The
Reinvestment Fund administers the program on behalf of USDA Rural Development.47
The Reinvestment Fund established multiple programs through the Healthy Food Financing
Initiative,48 including the
•
Targeted Small Grants Program, which provides grants to assist with food retail or food
enterprise planning, development, renovation, and expansion;
•
Planning Grant Program, which provides grants to help with predevelopment costs
associated with food access projects such as conducting feasibility studies, developing
architectural designs, and evaluating site locations;
•
Local and Regional Partnerships Program, which provides grants to support partnerships
between organizations that work at the local, state, and regional levels to improve access
to fresh, health, and affordable food; and
•
Food and Access Retail Expansion (FARE) Fund, which provides grants and technical
assistance to eligible food retail and food retail supply chain projects in the predevelopment and implementation stages.
From FY2022 to FY2026, Congress appropriated funding for the Healthy Food Financing
Initiative through annual appropriations acts.49 In FY2022, Congress appropriated $5 million
through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-103, Division A) and an additional
$150 million for the program through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2,
44 7 U.S.C. §1627c(i)(1). Congress provided $50 million each fiscal year for the Local Agriculture Market Program
through Section 10102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334). The funding
provided through the 2018 farm bill is issued through the Commodity Credit Corporation. For more information, see
CRS Report R44606, The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
45 7 U.S.C. §1627c(i)(3)(A).
46 The Healthy Food Financing Initiative is authorized by Section 243 of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization
Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. §6953), as added by Section 4206 of Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013 (P.L. 11379).
47 The Reinvestment Fund serves as the national fund manager for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. As per 7
U.S.C. §6953(b)(3), the national fund manager must be a Community Development Financial Institution certified by
the Community Development Financial Institution Fund of the Department of Treasury.
48 For more information on the programs created by the Reinvestment Fund to carry out the Healthy Food Financing
Initiative, see the website at https://www.investinginfood.com/.
49 P.L. 119-4 and explanatory statements accompanying P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, P.L. 118-42, and P.L. 119-37.
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§1001). FY2023 to FY2026, Congress appropriated decreasing levels of funding, starting with $3
million in FY2023 and decreasing to $50,000 in FY2026.
According to the Reinvestment Fund, the Healthy Food Financing Initiative has obligated since
2019 the following:
•
•
•
Over $32 million in grants for more than 200 projects through the Targeted Small
Grants Program and Planning Grant Program,
$40 million in grants for 16 projects through the Local and Regional Healthy
Food Financing Partnerships Program, and
$3 million in grants for 14 projects through the Food Access and Retail
Expansion (FARE) Fund.50
Small Business Administration Programs
The SBA administers three loan programs that aim to help small businesses access capital to start,
maintain, and expand operations. The programs partner with intermediary lenders who issue loans
to small businesses. Table 3 provides an overview of these programs, including the statutory
authority for the programs, funding mechanism, and how the programs support businesses.
SBA programs do not require that the businesses be located in rural areas. Instead, these programs
require that the businesses are small businesses, as defined by the SBA. The definition used by
the SBA to determine whether a business is a small business depends on the industry the business
operates in and is based on the firm’s average annual receipts or the average number of
employees.51 For example, a business in the charter bus industry is considered small and therefore
eligible for SBA programs if it has average annual receipts of $19 million or less. A business in
the cookie and cracker manufacturing industry is considered a small business if it has 1,250 or
fewer employees.52
Loans and Loan Guarantees
7(a) Program
The 7(a) Program is the SBA’s primary loan guarantee program.53 Typically, a prospective
borrower will work with a private lender (such as a bank or credit union) to obtain a business
loan. If the lender thinks that the business’s plan for the loan is sound but aspects of the
application are lacking (such as not having enough collateral to secure the loan), the lender can
ask the SBA to guarantee a portion of the loan (typically 50%-90%). The borrower must repay the
guaranteed loan, which typically has an interest rate similar to those of non-SBA guaranteed
loans. SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loans can be up to $5 million per borrower (in either one or multiple
guaranteed loans). In FY2025, SBA approved a total of 78,078 loans, with an average amount of
50 Reinvestment Fund, 2024-2025 FARE Fund Award Book: Round 1 Implementation Grants, Reinvestment Fund
report, no date provided, https://www.investinginfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/HFFI-2025-FARE-FundImplementation-Grants-R1-Award-Book.pdf.
51 See CRS Report R40860, Small Business Size Standards: A Historical Analysis of Contemporary Issues, by R.
Corinne Blackford and Anthony A. Cilluffo.
52 The list of Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards by industry is at 13 C.F.R. §121.201.
53 For more information, see the SBA webpage for the 7(a) Program at https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/
7a-loans.
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about $477,600.54 Proceeds from the guaranteed loan can be used for a variety of business
purposes, such as constructing buildings and buying supplies.
504/Certified Development Company Loan Program
The 504/Certified Development Company (CDC) Loan Program is another SBA loan guarantee
program.55 To be eligible for this program, an individual project must have three sources of
funding: up to 40% from a CDC that is fully guaranteed by the SBA, at least 50% from an
unrelated private lender with no SBA guarantee, and at least 10% from the borrower’s own funds.
The SBA-guaranteed CDC loans must be fully repaid and typically have an interest rate slightly
below those of non-SBA guaranteed loans. The maximum SBA-guaranteed CDC loan amount
depends on the project type. The maximum amount for the SBA-guaranteed CDC portion is $5
million to each small business (in either one or multiple SBA-guaranteed CDC loans) for standard
504 loans and loans made to advance certain public policy goals. The maximum amount for the
SBA-guaranteed CDC portion is $5.5 million for each project to small manufacturers and for
projects to reduce energy consumption or to generate renewable energy or fuels. In FY2025, SBA
approved 6,762 loans, with the average SBA-guaranteed portion of the project of about
$1,154,100.56 The maximum loan term varies between 10 and 25 years depending on the specific
project. The loans are often used to buy land, buildings, or specialized machinery.
Microloan Program
The Microloan Program offers loans of up to $50,000 made by nonprofit intermediary lenders.57
The SBA makes direct loans to Microloan intermediaries, which use those funds (and a required
private match) to make microloans to individual small businesses. In FY2025, Microloan
intermediaries made 4,614 loans to small businesses, with an average amount of about $16,200.58
Microloan borrowers are required to attend management and technical training as part of their
loan terms. Microloan intermediaries can apply for SBA grants for the cost of providing training.
Microloan funds can be used for buying materials, furniture, and equipment but not for buying
land or property.
54 SBA, “7(a) and 504 Segment Report,” data as of February 22, 2026, available at
https://sballmstab.sbalenderportal.com/t/ExternalSBA/views/7a504SummaryReport/Report?%3Aembed=yes&
%3Atoolbar=no.
55 For more information, see the SBA webpage for the 504/Certified Development Company (CDC) Loan Program at
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/504-loans.
56 SBA, “7(a) and 504 Segment Report,” data as of February 22, 2026, available at
https://sballmstab.sbalenderportal.com/t/ExternalSBA/views/7a504SummaryReport/Report?%3Aembed=yes&
%3Atoolbar=no.
57 For more information, see the SBA webpage for the Microloan Program at https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/
loans/microloans.
58 SBA, Microloans Segment Report,” data as of February 22, 2026, available at
https://sballmstab.sbalenderportal.com/t/ExternalSBA/views/MicroloanSummaryReport/Report?%3Aembed=yes&
%3Atoolbar=no.
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Table 3. SBA Credit Assistance Programs
Program
U.S. Code
Funding Mechanism
Program Description
7(a) Loan Program
15 U.S.C. §636(a)
Loan guarantees to
intermediary lenders.
Provides loan guarantees of
up to 90% of loan amount to
eligible lenders to make
loans to qualified businesses
for business expenses.
504/Community Development
Corporation (CDC) Loan
Program
15 U.S.C. §696
Loan guarantees to
intermediary lenders.
Provides loan guarantees of
up to 40% of project
amount for eligible lenders
to make loans to qualified
businesses for business
expenses.
Microloan Program
15 U.S.C. §636(m)
Loans to intermediary
lenders.
Provides loans of up to
$50,000 to qualified
businesses for business
expenses through SBAapproved nonprofit,
community-based
intermediary lenders.
Source: Compiled by CRS from agency information and U.S. Code.
Other Credit Assistance Programs
EDA and ARC also administer programs that provide certain rural and non-rural eligible
businesses with access to capital. EDA and ARC program guidance requires grantees (i.e.,
intermediary lenders or equity investors) to submit management plans to describe how the
revolving loan fund or equity investment will address economic development goals and how the
grantee will administer the funds throughout their lifecycle, among other matters. Equity
investments are the purchasing of shares of ownership in public or private companies. EDA and
ARC grantees are also required to provide nonfederal matching funds to the revolving loan fund
or equity investment projects.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development
Administration
EDA funding supports approximately 400 revolving loan fund programs across the 50 states,
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, tribal lands, and U.S. territories.59 Through its Economic
Adjustment Assistance program, EDA makes grants to eligible recipients (i.e., intermediary
lenders) so that they may capitalize revolving loan funds. Eligible recipients include Indian
tribes;60 states, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions of a state, including special purpose
59 EDA, “Revolving Loan Fund (RLF),” https://www.eda.gov/rlf.
60 The term Indian tribe means an entity on the list of recognized tribes published pursuant to the Federally Recognized
Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, as amended (P.L. 103-454) (25 U.S.C. §§479a et seq.), and any Alaska Native Village or
Regional Corporation (as defined in or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. §§1601
et seq.). This term includes the governing body of an Indian tribe, Indian corporation (restricted to Indians), Indian
authority, or other nonprofit Indian tribal organization or entity; provided that the Indian tribal organization,
corporation, or entity is wholly owned by, and established for the benefit of, the Indian tribe or Alaska Native Village.
13 C.F.R. §300.3. A rule published in the Federal Register on September 24, 2021, extended EDA tribal eligibility to
(continued...)
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units of state or local government; EDA-designated economic development districts (EDDs);61
institutions of higher education; economic development organizations; and nonprofit
organizations. The eligible recipients generally make loans to businesses for expansion, startup,
or operating expenses. The loans are designed to meet the capital needs of businesses that cannot
otherwise obtain traditional financing. The loans may also help businesses grow and create and
maintain jobs. Eligible recipients and revolving loan fund borrowers (i.e., businesses) may be
located in both rural and non-rural areas. Revolving loan fund grant awards range from $500,000
to $2 million.62 The eligible recipient determines the interest rate of the loan subject to EDA’s
minimum requirements, which are outlined in EDA regulations.63 EDA provides an online,
searchable directory of revolving loan fund programs by state.64
Appalachian Regional Commission
ARC grants support access to capital projects (e.g., revolving loan funds, equity investment
funds) across the Appalachian Region.65 Eligible grantees (i.e., intermediary lenders or equity
investors) may use ARC’s grant programs for access to capital projects to address credit and
capital gaps. Three ARC grant programs are available for access to capital activities: the Area
Development, Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization
(POWER) Initiative, and Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE)
programs.66 The ARC grant programs are flexible and can be used for a range of projects
designed to facilitate economic development objectives, such as the creation and retention of
private sector jobs.
Eligible borrowers and equity investment recipients include private for-profit firms that do
business within the Appalachian Region.67 Nonprofit organizations and government entities may
receive loans, but are not eligible for equity investments. Borrowers and equity investment
recipients can use debt or equity funds to pay for machinery, equipment, new construction, repair
of existing facilities, land acquisition, acquisition of an existing business, refinancing of existing
include for-profit entities that are wholly owned by and established for the benefit of a tribe. See EDA, U.S.
Department of Commerce, “Permitting Additional Eligible Tribal Entities,” 86 Federal Register 52957-52959,
September 24, 2021, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/09/24/2021-20633/permitting-additionaleligible-tribal-entities.
61 For information about Economic Development Administration- (EDA-) designated economic development districts,
see EDA, “Economic Development Districts,” at https://eda.gov/edd.
62 EDA, “Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program Fact Sheet,” at https://www.eda.gov/rlf.
63 13 C.F.R. §307.15(b).
64 For a directory of EDA-funded revolving loan funds, see EDA, “Revolving Loan Fund (RLF),” at
https://www.eda.gov/rlf. Interested grant applicants are encouraged to contact economic development districts
(https://eda.gov/edd) or state or regional EDA representatives (https://www.eda.gov/contact).
65 The Appalachian Region is statutorily defined as 423 counties in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland,
Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
(40 U.S.C. §14102(a)(1)).
66 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), “Access to Capital Projects,” https://www.arc.gov/access-to-capitalprojects/.
67 The ARC is statutorily obligated to designate counties according to levels of economic distress each year. Loan or
equity investments using ARC access to capital sources may not be made in ARC-designated attainment counties,
which are designated as the best performing counties according to the ARC’s county designations. See 40 U.S.C.
§14526; and ARC, ARC Access to Capital Projects Application and Operating Guidelines, October 5, 2021, at
https://www.arc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Access-to-Capital-Guidelines-October-2021.pdf (hereinafter ARC
Access to Capital Guidelines).
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debt, and other expenses.68 The access to capital grantees (i.e., intermediary lenders or equity
investors) may determine loan terms and interest rates subject to ARC’s requirements, which are
outlined in ARC access to capital grant guidance.69
Eligible grantees include state and local governmental entities, non-profit organizations, and nonprofit subsidiaries of a for-profit organization. Grantees must be non-federal entities with the
legal authority to receive ARC support and to make loans and equity investments.70
Table 4. Selected EDA and ARC Access to Capital Programs
Program
U.S. Code
Funding Mechanism
Program Description
Appalachian Regional
Commission (ARC), Area
Development,
Partnerships for
Opportunity and
Workforce and Economic
Revitalization (POWER)
Initiative, and Appalachian
Regional Initiative for
Stronger Economies
(ARISE) grant programs,
(for access to capital
projects)
40 U.S.C. §§14101-14704
Grants to intermediary
lenders or equity
investors.
Provides grants to eligible
entities to capitalize or
recapitalize revolving loan
funds or for equity
investment funds. Most
access to capital projects
make general business
loans focused on creating
and retaining jobs,
increasing revenues, or
expanding markets.
Economic Development
Administration (EDA)
Economic Adjustment
Assistance Program (for
revolving loan fund
grants)
42 U.S.C. §3149
Grants to intermediary
lenders.
Provides grants to eligible
entities to capitalize or
recapitalize revolving loan
funds. Most revolving loan
funds make general
business loans focused on
creating and retaining
jobs, increasing revenues,
or expanding markets.
Source: Compiled by CRS from agency information and other sources, including the Economic Development
Administration (EDA) “Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program Fact Sheet” at https://www.eda.gov/rlf.
Notes: This table is not intended to be comprehensive. EDA is under the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Considerations for Congress
Federal Role in Rural Business Credit Assistance
The federal government’s role in providing credit assistance to rural businesses remains a topic of
debate. Congress may consider whether to scale-back the federal role in providing credit
assistance and instead use federal policy strategies to build the capacity of local banks to meet
rural business needs. On the other hand, Congress could enhance the federal role in providing
credit to underserved and unserved markets by increasing the level of credit assistance provided
68 According to ARC guidance, land acquisition is an eligible use of funding if it is an integral part of a project. See
ARC Access to Capital Guidelines, p. 4.
69 ARC Access to Capital Guidelines.
70 See ARC Access to Capital Guidelines. Interested grant applicants can contact state program managers that are based
in state economic development agencies. For state program manager contact information, see ARC, “State Program
Managers,” at https://www.arc.gov/state_partner_role/state-program-manager/.
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to businesses through federal programs. In addition, Congress could examine whether federal
credit assistance programs impact the amount or volume of loans provided to rural businesses by
traditional lenders.
Farm Bill
Congress may consider a range of options related to USDA credit assistance programs through a
farm bill (or other legislation). These may include amending the credit limits of USDA credit
assistance programs for rural businesses, adjusting eligibility or other specifics of credit
assistance programs, or eliminating existing programs. For example, H.R. 7567, The Farm, Food,
and National Security Act of 2026, ordered reported by the House Committee on Agriculture on
March 5, 2026, would amend the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to increase the
maximum loan that could be issued to rural microentrepreneurs from $50,000 to $75,000.71 In
addition, the bill would prioritize funding for certain USDA rural business programs for projects
that focus on rural childcare through an initiative called the Expanding Childcare in Rural
America Initiative.72 The Initiative would prioritize funding for projects that address the
availability, quality, or cost of daycare in rural areas.
Congress may also explore whether to authorize additional USDA grant programs that support
for-profit rural businesses. Currently, USDA grant programs for for-profit rural businesses are
targeted to businesses that are engaged in certain types of activities such as value-added
production or retail distribution of foods in unserved areas. Congress could consider whether to
authorize USDA grants programs that provide small-scale grants to rural businesses. One
potential benefit of these programs would be to encourage the development of small businesses in
rural areas. Additional small businesses in rural areas may result in new jobs and economic
growth. A potential drawback is that grants to for-profit businesses is that these businesses could
go bankrupt, and the federal investment lost.
USDA Business Programs
Congress may decide whether to limit or eliminate the USDA business programs. For FY2026,
the President did not request funding for grants or loan subsidies for USDA rural business
programs. The request stated that many of the USDA rural business programs were duplicative of
other federal agencies’ business development programs.73 The request stated that certain USDA
business programs should be eliminated because applicants could access similar financing
through private markets. In FY2026, Congress appropriated $82 million in grants and loan
subsidies for USDA rural business programs.74 One potential benefit of limiting or eliminating
USDA business programs is that could reduce the cost of these programs, thereby allowing the
funds to be directed to other priorities. One potential drawback of limiting or eliminating USDA
business programs is that it may hinder rural businesses access to capital which could slow down
the development of small businesses in rural areas. This slowdown of development may result in
fewer jobs and slower economic growth in rural areas.
71 Section 6422 of the H.R. 7567, Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026.
72 Section 6305 of the H.R. 7567, Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026.
73 USDA, 2026 USDA Explanatory Notes – Rural Business-Cooperative Service, no publishing date provided,
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/32-2026-CJ-RBCS.pdf.
74 Explanatory statement for Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and
Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 (P.L. 119-37, Division B).
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Author Information
Lisa S. Benson
Specialist in Agricultural Policy
Julie M. Lawhorn
Analyst in Economic Development Policy
Anthony A. Cilluffo
Analyst in Public Finance
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
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copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
Congressional Research Service
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This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.