IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES
MR. REESE, for himself, MS. CLARKE, MS. HOLLINGSWORTH, MR. CALLAGHAN, MR. KENSINGTON, MR. BRENNINGER, MR. WILLIAMS, MR. THOMAS, MS. GOODALL, MR. OAKWOOD, MR. ST. JOHN, MR. LEVY, MS. MARTINEZ, and others, and with thanks to MS. PINGREE, introduces:
A BILL
To promote local and regional farm and food systems, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Local Farms and Jobs Act'.
TITLE I--FOOD AND NUTRITION LEARNING
SEC. 101. FOOD AND NUTRITION AGRICULTURE SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM.
(a) In General- Subtitle D of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6951) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 242. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM.
`(a) Establishment- The Secretary shall establish a Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (in this section referred to as the `Program') to increase knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children.
`(b) Purposes- The purposes of the Program are--
`(1) to increase capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations or entities, school cafeterias, and in the classroom;
`(2) to complement and build upon the efforts of the farm to school programs implemented under section 18(g) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g));
`(3) to support the implementation of the regulations to update meal patterns and nutrition standards promulgated under section 4(b)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753(b)(3));
`(4) to carry out activities that advance the nutritional health of children and nutrition education in elementary schools and secondary schools;
`(5) to build on activities carried out by the Food and Nutrition Service and the Corporation for National and Community Service by providing funds to establish new approved national service positions for a national service program; and
`(6) to further expand the impact of the efforts described in paragraphs (1) through (5) through coordination with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
`(c) Eligibility- To carry out the Program, the Secretary may make awards to an organization or other entity that, as determined by the Secretary--
`(1) has a proven track record in carrying out the activities described in subsection (b);
`(2) is carrying out or otherwise supporting a national service program that receives assistance from the Corporation for National and Community Service under subtitle C of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12571 et seq.);
`(3) works in underserved rural and urban communities;
`(4) teaches and engages children in experiential learning about agriculture, gardening, nutrition, cooking, and where food comes from; and
`(5) facilitates a connection between elementary schools and secondary schools and agricultural producers in the local and regional area.
`(d) Accountability-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may require an organization or other entity receiving an award under subsection (c), or another qualified entity, to collect and report any data on the activities carried out by the Program as the Secretary determines necessary.
`(2) EVALUATION- The Secretary shall--
`(A) conduct regular evaluation of the activities carried out by the Program; and
`(B) submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that includes a description of the results of an evaluation conducted under subparagraph (A).
`(e) Funding-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $25,000,000, to remain available until expended.
`(2) USE OF CERTAIN FUNDS- Of the funds made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year, 20 percent shall be made available to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to offset costs associated with hosting, training, and overseeing individuals in approved national service positions for the Program.
`(3) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT- Funds made available under paragraph (1) shall be used only to supplement, not to supplant, the amount of Federal funding otherwise expended for nutrition, research, and extension programs of the Department.
`(f) Definitions- For purposes of this section:
`(1) APPROVED NATIONAL SERVICE POSITION- The term `approved national service position' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511)).
`(2) ESEA TERMS- The terms `elementary school' and `secondary school' have the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 296(b) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (6)(C), by striking `or' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting `or'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(8) the authority of the Secretary to carry out activities described in section 242.'.
TITLE II--CREDIT
SEC. 201. LOANS TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS.
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 333C the following new section:
`SEC. 333D. LOANS TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD PRODUCERS.
`(a) In General- The Secretary shall make and guarantee loans under this title to eligible producers for the production of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products (as defined in section 310B(g)(9)), including qualified producers engaged in direct-to-consumer marketing, direct-to-institution marketing, or direct-to-store marketing, businesses or activities that produce a value-added agricultural product (as defined in section 231(a) of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1632a(a)), mid-tier value chains (as defined in such section 231(a)), and other local and regional market outlets.
`(b) Training- The Secretary shall ensure that loan officers processing loans under this section receive appropriate training to serve borrowers and potential borrowers engaged in local and regional food production.
`(c) Valuation-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall develop ways to determine unit prices (or other appropriate forms of valuation) for crops and other agricultural products, the end use of which is intended to be in locally or regionally produced agricultural food products, to facilitate lending to local and regional food producers.
`(2) PRICE HISTORY- The Secretary shall implement a mechanism for local and regional food producers to establish price history for the crops and other agricultural products produced by such producers.
`(d) Outreach- The Secretary shall develop and implement an outreach strategy to engage and provide loan services to local and regional food producers.'.
SEC. 202. CLARIFICATION OF THE MISSION OF THE FARM CREDIT SYSTEM TO RECOGNIZE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING YOUNG, BEGINNING, AND SMALL FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL FARM AND FOOD SYSTEMS.
Section 1.1 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2001) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(d) Recognizing that the vitality of United States agriculture and rural communities depends on the continued entry of young, beginning, and small farmers and ranchers into agriculture, many of whom will operate farms with local and regional food product distribution, it is declared to be the policy of the Congress and an objective of this Act that the Farm Credit System should endeavor to serve the credit and related needs of these individuals and the businesses on which they rely and that are necessary to the growth and vitality of local and regional farm and food systems.'.
SEC. 203. YOUNG, BEGINNING, AND SMALL FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND LOCALLY OR REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
(a) Credit for Young, Beginning, and Small Farmers- Section 4.19(a) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2207(a)) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence by inserting `and for the production of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products (as defined in section 310B(g)(10)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act)' before the period; and
(2) by inserting after the second sentence the following: `Each such program shall include initiatives and may include grants to support current and future borrowers by helping to organize, build, expand, or improve infrastructure and markets for locally or regionally produced agricultural food products (as so defined).'.
(b) Section 4.19 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2207(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(c) The Farm Credit Administration shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate an annual report that contains a summary and analysis of the operations and achievements of the Farm Credit System as a whole in meeting the objectives of this section. The Farm Credit Administration shall notify the Congress whenever a program is out of compliance with this section, and indicate in the notice the steps the Farm Credit Administration is taking in response.'.
TITLE III--RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SEC. 301. AVAILABILITY OF RURAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY GRANTS FOR LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS.
Section 306(a)(11) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(11)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in clause (i), by inserting `domestic and' before `export';
(B) in clause (iv), by striking `and' at the end;
(C) in clause (v)--
(i) by inserting `domestic and' before `international'; and
(ii) by striking the period and inserting `; and'; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
`(vi) to develop enterprises and business ventures that build sustainable local and regional food systems, including through processing, aggregation, distribution, storage, or marketing businesses in connection with production agriculture.'; and
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking `through 2012' and inserting `through 2018'.
TITLE IV--RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND RELATED MATTERS
SEC. 401. AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE.
Subsection (b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking `food and agricultural sciences' and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: `food and agricultural sciences (as defined under section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103))--
`(A) in the case of a grant made under paragraph (6), to an entity described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), or (D) of such paragraph; and
`(B) in the case of any other grant made under this subsection, to any eligible entity described in paragraph (7), including a grant made for--
`(i) fundamental research (as defined in section 251(f)(1) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)));
`(ii) applied research (as defined in such section 251(f)(1));
`(iii) integrated research conducted pursuant to section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626); or
`(iv) integrated research so conducted that is applied or fundamental research.';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking `conventional breeding, including cultivar and breed development,' and inserting `public cultivar development through conventional breeding with no requirement or preference for the use of marker-assisted or genomic selection methods, including';
(B) in subparagraph (B)(iv), by striking `conventional breeding, including breed development,' and inserting `public breed development through conventional breeding with no requirement or preference for the use of marker-assisted or genomic selection methods, including'; and
(C) in subparagraph (F)--
(i) in clause (v), by striking `and' at the end;
(ii) in clause (vi), by striking the period at the end and inserting `; and'; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following new clause:
`(vii) new approaches to advance systems that enhance the markets for, and policy related to, locally or regionally produced agricultural food products, as defined in section 310B(g)(9)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)(9)(A)).';
(3) in paragraph (4)(A), by inserting `, including by conducting each fiscal year at least 1 separate request for applications for grants for research on public cultivar development through conventional breeding as described in paragraph (2)' before the semicolon at the end;
(4) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12);
(5) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraph:
`(11) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection:
`(A) CONVENTIONAL BREEDING- The term `conventional breeding' means the development of new varieties of an organism through controlled mating and selection without the use of transgenic methods.
`(B) PUBLIC BREED- The term `public breed' means a breed that is the commercially available uniform end product of a publicly funded breeding program that--
`(i) has been sufficiently tested to demonstrate improved characteristics and stable performance; and
`(ii) remains in the public domain for research purposes.
`(C) PUBLIC CULTIVAR- The term `public cultivar' means a cultivar that is the commercially available uniform end product of a publicly funded breeding program that--
`(i) has been sufficiently tested to demonstrate improved characteristics and stable performance; and
`(ii) remains in the public domain for research purposes.'; and
(6) in paragraph (12)(A) (as redesignated by paragraph (4)), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking `2012' and inserting `2018'.
SEC. 402. LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM ENTERPRISE FACILITATION.
Section 502 of the Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662) is amended by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:
`(f) Local and Regional Farm and Food System Enterprise Facilitation-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish a local and regional farm and food system enterprise facilitation initiative to increase training and technical assistance for purposes of building sustainable local and regional food systems, the activities of which may include--
`(A) providing practical, reliable, and timely information to entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial development organizations concerning business management, business planning, microenterprise, marketing, and entrepreneurial education and training related to the development of local and regional farm and food system enterprises;
`(B) providing training and technical assistance to newly operational and growing local and regional farm and food system businesses;
`(C) establishing networks of entrepreneurial support through partnerships among entrepreneurs, local business communities, all levels of government, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, and other sectors; and
`(D) providing technical assistance for the preparation of grant and loan applications submitted for purposes of carrying out an activity referred to in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C).
`(2) ENTERPRISE FACILITATORS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- In carrying out the initiative established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish in the National Institute of Food and Agriculture the position of enterprise facilitator (referred to in this subsection as an `enterprise facilitator') to perform the duties specified in subparagraph (C).
`(B) PRIORITY- In allocating funds made available to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to enterprise facilitators located in areas that--
`(i) have high participation rates for the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); and
`(ii) are rural areas (as defined in section 343(13) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(13))).
`(C) DUTIES- An enterprise facilitator shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
`(i) identify and organize local and regional food producers and entrepreneurs into entities that are able to deliver local and regional food into local markets;
`(ii) develop partnerships with local and regional organizations and institutions to train entrepreneurs and facilitate new enterprises, including partnerships eligible for or that have received a grant under paragraph (3);
`(iii) assist local and regional agricultural producers and processors, including new producers and processors, with marketing and distribution of local and regional food products;
`(iv) identify and work to remove barriers to the movement of local and regional food products into the marketplace;
`(v) work with local expanded food and nutrition education programs, schools and other local institutions, and individuals to assist in the development of food aggregation, processing, distribution, and storage skills in the locality or region involved;
`(vi) provide technical assistance in the preparation of grant and loan applications submitted for purposes of carrying out an activity referred to in paragraph (1); and
`(vii) work with private sources of funding and other Federal and State agencies to acquire funds for such purposes through grants and loans.
`(3) GRANTS-
`(A) AUTHORITY- In carrying out the initiative established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities, on a competitive basis, to provide training or technical assistance for purposes of building sustainable local and regional food systems.
`(B) ELIGIBILITY- An eligible entity under this paragraph is a collaborative State, tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities, including a network or partnership of--
`(i) colleges and universities, including cooperative extension colleges and universities;
`(ii) nonprofit organizations;
`(iii) Federal, State, local, and tribal governmental entities; or
`(iv) any other appropriate entities, as determined by the Secretary.
`(C) APPLICATION- An eligible entity seeking a grant under this paragraph shall submit to the Secretary an application in such time and in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including information on any project the entity intends to carry out using grant funds.
`(D) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to applications submitted by eligible entities that are led by or include non-profit community-based organizations with expertise in providing training or technical assistance to local and regional food producers.
`(E) CONSIDERATION OF PROJECTS- In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider, with respect to a project included in an application submitted under subparagraph (C)--
`(i) the relevance of the project to the initiative established under paragraph (1);
`(ii) the appropriateness of the design of the project;
`(iii) the likelihood of achieving the objectives of the project;
`(iv) the inclusion of entrepreneurs and community leaders in the project;
`(v) the availability of enterprise facilitators to assist with the project;
`(vi) adequacy of plans for outreach, evaluation, reporting, and communication; and
`(vii) the national or regional applicability of the findings and outcomes of the project.
`(F) TERM- The term of a grant provided under this paragraph shall be not more than three years.'.
TITLE V--HORTICULTURE
SEC. 501. FARMERS MARKET AND LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM.
Section 6 of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 3005) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by adding `and Local Food' after `Market';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) by inserting `and Local Food' after `Market';
(B) by striking `farmers' markets and to promote'; and
(C) by inserting `and local food capacity development' before the period at the end;
(3) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- The purposes of the Program are to increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products by developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement and expansion of--
`(A) domestic farmers' markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities; and
`(B) local and regional food enterprises that are not direct producer-to-consumer markets but process, distribute, aggregate, store, and market locally or regionally produced food products.';
(4) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) by inserting `or other agricultural business entity' after `cooperative'; and
(B) by inserting `, including a community supported agriculture network or association' after `association';
(5) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);
(6) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection:
`(e) Priorities- In providing grants under the Program, priority shall be given to applications that include projects that--
`(1) benefit underserved communities;
`(2) develop market opportunities for small and mid-sized farm and ranch operations; and
`(3) include a strategic plan to maximize the use of funds to build capacity for local and regional food systems in a community.'; and
(7) in subsection (f) (as redesignated by paragraph (5))--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) in the heading, by striking `FISCAL YEARS 2008 THROUGH 2012' and inserting `COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEARS 2008 THROUGH 2012 AND 2014 THROUGH 2018';
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking `and' after the semicolon at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting `; and'; and
(iv) by adding at the end the following:
`(D) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.';
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (4);
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4);
(D) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraphs:
`(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- In addition to funds made available under paragraph (1), there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2018.
`(3) USE OF FUNDS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Of the funds made available to carry out the Program for each fiscal year, to the maximum extent practicable, 50 percent shall be used for the purposes described in subsection (b)(1)(A) and 50 percent shall be used for the purposes described in subsection (b)(1)(B).
`(B) COST SHARE- To be eligible to receive a grant for a project described in subsection (b)(1)(B), a recipient shall provide a match in the form of cash or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the total cost of the project.'; and
(E) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
`(5) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- Not more than 10 percent of the total amount made available to carry out this section for a fiscal year may be used for administrative expenses.
`(6) LIMITATIONS- An eligible entity may not use a grant or other assistance provided under the Program for the purchase, construction, or rehabilitation of a building or structure.'.
Quote:
PES:
TITLE I: Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish a Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program to increase knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children. Establishes a special initiative within the Research, Education, and Extension Office to coordinate Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant and animal breeding research.
TITLE II: Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide for guaranteed loans to eligible producers for the production of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products. Gives loan priority to projects that will increase access to locally or regionally grown food in underserved communities, create new market opportunities for local or regional agricultural producers, or support regional economic and community development.
Amends the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to include assistance for the production of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products.
TITLE III: (Further to Title II) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to provide for guaranteed loans to eligible producers for the production of locally or regionally produced agricultural food products. Gives loan priority to projects that will increase access to locally or regionally grown food in underserved communities, create new market opportunities for local or regional agricultural producers, or support regional economic and community development.
TITLE IV: Amends the the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to expand the scope of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to reference locally and regionally produced agricultural products and give priority to projects that benefit underserved communities. Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
TITLE V: Amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to reference locally and regionally produced agricultural products and give priority to projects that benefit underserved communities. Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
Foundation built out from here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d113:h.r.01414: