WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have established a formal process for farmers, ranchers and rural businesses to challenge federal regulations they believe are unfair or overly burdensome, creating a new mechanism that could shape future deregulatory efforts.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed by the agencies, USDA will operate a centralized “lawfare” portal to receive complaints involving federal agencies, while the SBA’s Office of the National Ombudsman will manage cases and coordinate with regulators.
The agreement is intended to help the agencies identify patterns of what the administration characterizes as disproportionate or inconsistent regulatory enforcement and use that information to support broader policy changes.
“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,” SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said in a statement.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins framed the initiative as a way to give producers additional avenues to contest government actions.
“Producers and ranchers who feed this nation should never face the full power of government alone,” Rollins said in a statement.
Complaints involving USDA will be handled through the department’s existing channels, while matters involving other federal agencies will be referred by the SBA to the appropriate agencies for coordination and resolution.
The agreement also authorizes the SBA to analyze complaint data to identify recurring regulatory issues that may warrant broader reform efforts.
The initiative builds on other Trump administration efforts aimed at reducing regulatory costs in the agricultural sector. The agencies cited recent actions with the Environmental Protection Agency to reaffirm farmers’ right to repair agricultural equipment and support the removal of diesel exhaust fluid sensor requirements for certain diesel equipment, a change the administration estimates could save farmers $4.4 billion annually.
The memorandum also advances President Donald Trump’s executive order, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, which directs federal agencies to reduce regulatory burdens across the economy.
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