MORE USDA Grants Act
Key claim: The MORE USDA Grants Act would cut local matching-fund requirements by 50 percent and prioritize USDA rural development grant applications from local and tribal governments in small counties where the federal government owns or manages more than half the land.
Abstract
(S2618 · 119th Congress) More Opportunities for Rural Economies from USDA Grants Act or the MORE USDA Grants Act This bill expands access to qualifying Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant programs for local governments or tribal governments located within a high-density public land county. Under the bill, these are counties (1) that have a population of not more than 100,000 people, and (2) where the federal government owns or manages more than 50% of the land. Qualifying USDA grant programs include the Rural Business Development Grants, the Community Facilities grant program, the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants program, and other specified grant programs administered by USDA rural development agencies or by USDA. Under the bill, any requirement for local matching funds under a qualifying grant program must be reduced by 50% for a local government or tribal government within a high-density public land county. On request, USDA must provide additional technical assistance to these local governments or tribal governments before and during the annual application period for each qualifying grant program. Further, USDA must prioritize grant applications from these local governments and tribal governments that have not received support in the previous 10 years under the qualifying grant program. For qualifying grant programs, USDA may also provide additional application support for these local governments or tribal governments. Support may include offering flexibility in meeting certain application requirements or addressing a barrier to applying for or receiving assistance, such as flexibility related to financial requirements or application scoring criteria. Latest action (2025-07-31): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Why this matters
Public-land-heavy rural counties often have narrow property tax bases and limited staff capacity, making the standard local match and competitive application process for USDA rural development grants difficult to meet. By halving match requirements and giving priority to small counties where the federal government owns most of the land, the bill could shift the geographic distribution of Rural Business Development, Community Facilities, and Distance Learning/Telemedicine awards toward those jurisdictions. The effect on consumers and food prices is indirect, running through rural infrastructure, healthcare, and business capacity rather than farm output.