USDA, SBA Announce Partnership to Address Regulatory Complaints From Farmers and Ranchers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at helping farmers, ranchers and small businesses address complaints involving federal regulatory and enforcement actions.

Announced July 2 by USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, the agreement establishes a partnership between USDA and the SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman. According to USDA, the initiative supports the department's Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework by creating a process for producers to submit complaints through the USDA Lawfare Portal and coordinate their resolution with other federal agencies.

For producers, the new partnership is intended to provide a centralized process for reporting concerns involving regulatory actions and to identify recurring issues that could lead to future policy changes.

"Producers and ranchers who feed this nation should never face the full power of government alone," said Secretary 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 is designed to give agricultural producers and other small businesses another avenue for reporting regulatory concerns.

"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 Administrator 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."

According to USDA, the agreement includes a joint process for reviewing complaints submitted through the USDA Lawfare Portal, analyzing complaint data to identify recurring regulatory issues and coordinating with agencies including the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice.

The department said the partnership also emphasizes transparency and accountability by creating defined pathways for complaint resolution involving rural communities and agricultural businesses.

During the announcement, USDA highlighted several recent actions it said support the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework. These included resolving disputes involving private property, grazing access and federal land management, publishing the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework, implementing deregulatory actions during fiscal year 2025, revising USDA program rules and removing certain guidance issued under the previous administration.

USDA also highlighted several examples of producers from Montana, Washington, Arizona, Utah and New York who shared concerns about environmental regulations, land management decisions, grazing access and renewable energy development affecting agricultural land.

Additional information about the partnership and the USDA Lawfare Portal is available through USDA.