110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 541
To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to
promote local and regional support for sustainable bioenergy and biobased
products, to support the future of farming, forestry, and land management,
to develop and support local bioenergy, biobased products, and food systems,
and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 8, 2007
Mr. FEINGOLD introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to
promote local and regional support for sustainable bioenergy and biobased
products, to support the future of farming, forestry, and land management,
to develop and support local bioenergy, biobased products, 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.
This Act may be cited as the `Rural Opportunities Act of 2007'.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 9001 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8101) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (6), as paragraphs (5) through
(7), respectively;
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
`(4) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term `institution of higher
education' has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(8) STATE- The term `State' means--
`(B) the District of Columbia;
`(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
`(D) any other territory or possession of the United States.'.
SEC. 3. LOCAL AND REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE BIOENERGY AND BIOBASED PRODUCT
USE AND PRODUCTION.
(a) Local and Regional Sustainable Bioenergy and Biobased Product Use and
Production- Title IX of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
(7 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 9012. LOCAL AND REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE BIOENERGY AND BIOBASED PRODUCT
USE AND PRODUCTION.
`(a) Extension, Education, Technical Assistance, Applied Research, and Development-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make grants to States to carry out
extension, education, applied research, and development activities at
appropriate institutions of higher education, State agencies, or partnerships
in the States to support local and regional sustainable bioenergy and
biobased product use and production.
`(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), funds made available
under paragraph (4) shall be allocated among the States in accordance
with the terms and conditions of paragraphs (1) through (3) of section
3(c) of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361c(c)) and subparagraph (C).
`(i) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may use funds described in clause (ii)
to provide bonus grants to States based on the need and merit of projects
identified through annual reports submitted under paragraph (3)(E),
as determined by the Secretary.
`(ii) RELEVANT FUNDS- The funds referenced in clause (i) are funds
that--
`(I) would otherwise remain unallocated under this subsection for
a fiscal year;
`(II) remain unused by a State as of the end of the grant term,
as determined by the Secretary; or
`(III) are returned to the Secretary in accordance with paragraph
(3)(C)(ii).
`(C) ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent
of funds made available under paragraph (4)--
`(i) to maintain a clearinghouse for projects funded under this subsection;
`(ii) to fund liaisons to provide technical assistance within--
`(I) the Department of Agriculture;
`(II) the Department of Commerce;
`(III) the Department of Energy;
`(IV) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
`(V) other appropriate Federal agencies as determined by the Secretary.
`(iii) to support studies, competitions, and administration required
by this section; and
`(iv) to support the collection and sharing of local innovations between
the State lead agencies designated under this section.
`(3) CONDITIONS ON RECEIVING GRANTS-
`(i) IN GENERAL- The Governor of a State shall designate or establish
an agency, institution of higher education, or joint entity in the
State as the lead agency for the distribution of grant funds.
`(ii) DUTIES- A lead agency designated under clause (i) shall--
`(I) encourage collaboration between agencies, institutions of higher
education, cooperative extension, and appropriate nonprofit organizations
in the State;
`(II) support private- and nonprofit-public partnerships for purposes
of the grant;
`(III) establish a local citizen and industry advisory board;
`(IV) improve the energy independence of the State; and
`(V) in consultation with the advisory board, develop a comprehensive
statewide energy plan to increase energy independence described
in clause (iii).
`(iii) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN- The plan developed under clause (ii)(IV)
shall--
`(I) support local and regional sustainable bioenergy and biobased
product use and production;
`(II) provide flexibility for local needs;
`(III) support other renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation
activities, and coordination with other State and Federal energy
initiatives (including the Clean Cities Program established under
sections 405, 409, and 505 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42
U.S.C. 13231, 13235, 13256));
`(IV) support a diverse array of farm sizes, crops (including agroforestry),
and production techniques, with a particular focus on small- and
moderate-sized family farms;
`(V) have a goal of maximizing the public value of developing and
using sustainable bioenergy and biobased products;
`(VI) include activities--
`(aa) to manage energy usage through energy efficiency and conservation;
`(bb) to develop new energy sources in a manner that is economically
viable, ecologically sound, and socially responsible; and
`(cc) to grow or produce biomass in a sustainable manner that
has net environmental benefits and considers such factors as relative water
quality, soil quality, air quality, wildlife impacts, net energy balance,
crop diversity, and provision of adequate income for the agricultural producers;
and
`(VII) consider providing grant preferences to local and farmer-owned
projects in order to retain and maximize local and regional economic
benefits.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Subject to clause (ii), a grant received under this
subsection may be used to pay the Federal share of carrying out that
support the establishment, growth, and use of local bioenergy and
biobased products, including--
`(II) curriculum development;
`(III) education and training;
`(IV) technical assistance;
`(VI) grants to support local production and use of bioenergy and
biobased products;
`(VII) energy conservation or support for other renewable fuels,
if identified as part of the comprehensive statewide energy plan
developed under subparagraph (A)(ii)(IV);
`(VIII) support of bioenergy and biobased product cooperatives through
education, training, technical assistance, or grants; and
`(IX) any other activity identified or approved by the Secretary
as meeting those goals.
`(ii) ALLOCATION OF GRANT RESOURCES-
`(I) IN GENERAL- Each comprehensive statewide energy plan shall
include a balanced allocation of grant resources to ensure support
for each of research, education, extension, and development.
`(II) SECRETARIAL REVIEW- If after review of a comprehensive statewide
energy plan received under subparagraph (D)(i), the Secretary determines
that the plan or allocation of resources is inadequate or inappropriate,
the Secretary shall request clarification or revisions.
`(i) IN GENERAL- A recipient of funds for an activity under this subsection
shall contribute an amount of non-Federal funds (including non-Federal
funds from nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public-private
partnerships) in the form of cash or in-kind contributions to carry
out the activity that is equal to the amount of Federal funds received
for the activity.
`(ii) RETURN OF FUNDS- A recipient of funds for an activity under
this subsection that fails to comply with the requirement to provide
full matching funds for a fiscal year under clause (i) shall return
to the Secretary an amount equal to the difference between--
`(I) the amount provided to the recipient under this subsection;
and
`(II) the amount of matching funds actually provided by the recipient.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Not later than February 1 of each year, each State
receiving a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary
a report that--
`(I) describes and evaluates the use of grant funds during the preceding
fiscal year; and
`(II) includes the comprehensive statewide energy plan, and any
revisions to the plan, developed under subparagraph (A)(ii)(IV).
`(ii) PUBLICATION- The Secretary shall make available to the public
all reports received under clause (i).
`(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013, to remain available until expended.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry
out a study that assesses--
`(A) changes to law (including regulations) and policies to provide
or increase incentives for the potential production of bioenergy (at
levels greater than in existence as of the date of enactment of this
section) to maintain local ownership, control, economic development,
and the value-added nature of bioenergy and biobased product production;
`(B) potential limits to prevent excessive payments, including variable
support (such as reducing subsidies based on the price of bioenergy
or a comparable conventional energy source); and
`(C) the use of existing and proposed incentives for particular stages
in the bioenergy system (including production, blending, or retail),
including an evaluation of which incentives would be most efficient
and beneficial for local and regional communities and consumers.
`(2) REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress
the report under paragraph (1).
`(c) Basic Research on Next Generation Technology-
`(1) IN GENERAL- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary,
acting through the National Research Initiative, shall use $5,400,000
of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, to remain available until
expended, to carry out additional research on biobased products and bioenergy
production with an emphasis on developing and improving the next generation
of products and production methods (such as cellulosic ethanol).
`(2) MAINTENANCE OF FUNDING- The funding provided under this subsection
shall supplement (and not supplant) other Federal funding for the National
Research Initiative in those research areas.
`(d) Supplemental Rural Cooperative Development Grants-
`(1) IN GENERAL- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development, may use up to
$1,000,000 to supplement existing grants under the rural cooperative development
grant program established under section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(e)) (referred to in this subsection
as the `program').
`(2) REQUIREMENT- The Secretary may award supplemental grants under this
subsection to program grant recipients the applications or ongoing activities
of which support, establish, or assist the establishment of, renewable
fuels or biobased product-based cooperatives.
`(3) AMOUNT- The amount of a supplemental grant under this subsection
shall not exceed 20 percent of the amount of the base program grant.
`(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013.
`(5) MAINTENANCE OF FUNDING- The funding provided under this subsection
shall supplement (and not supplant) other Federal funding for the program.'.
(b) Regional Bioenergy and Biobased Products Competitive Research, Education,
and Extension Programs- Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension,
and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7621 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
`SEC. 412. REGIONAL BIOENERGY AND BIOBASED PRODUCTS COMPETITIVE RESEARCH,
EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION PROGRAMS.
`(a) In General- The Secretary shall establish regional funds in accordance
with this section.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may use funds described in paragraph (2)
to provide bonus grants to regional centers based on need and merit, as
determined by the Secretary.
`(2) RELEVANT FUNDS- The funds referenced in paragraph (1) are funds that--
`(A) would otherwise remain unallocated under this section for a fiscal
year; or
`(B) remain unused by a regional center as of the end of the grant term,
as determined by the Secretary; or
`(C) are returned to the Secretary in accordance with paragraph (3)(B).
`(A) IN GENERAL- A recipient of funds for an activity under this section
shall contribute in the form of cash or in-kind contributions an amount
of non-Federal funds to carry out the activity that is equal to the
amount of Federal funds received under this section for the activity.
`(B) RETURN OF FUNDS- A recipient of funds for an activity under this
section that fails to comply with the requirement to provide full matching
funds for a fiscal year under subparagraph (A) shall return to the Secretary
an amount equal to the difference between--
`(i) the amount provided to the recipient under this section; and
`(ii) the amount of matching funds actually provided by the recipient.
`(C) WAIVER- The Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement
described in subparagraph (A) with respect to a project if the Secretary
determines that--
`(i) the results of the project, while of particular benefit to a
specific bioenergy or biobased product research question, are also
likely to be generally applicable; or
`(ii)(I) the project involves a minor crop or production method and
deals with scientifically important research; and
`(II) the grant recipient is unable to satisfy the matching funds
requirement.
`(c) Identification of Regions-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Regions under this section shall correspond with the
regions of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
of the Department of Agriculture.
`(2) SUBREGIONS- Each regional board established under subsection (f)
may establish up to 3 subregions based on common characteristics, including--
`(A) bioenergy production methods;
`(C) the benefits in efficiency and coordination of identifying the
same regions as are used by other Federal programs, such as regions
used for sun grant centers under section 9011(d) of the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8109(d)); and
`(D) other factors important in fulfilling the goal of increasing local
and regional sustainable bioenergy and biobased product use and production
in the United States.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish for each region identified
under subsection (c) a regional fund.
`(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS- Funds made available under subsection (g) shall
be allocated among the regional funds in accordance with the proportional
share of funds received under section 9012(a)(1) of the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 by the States that constitute the appropriate
region.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Not less often than once every 5 years, in conjunction
with the appropriate regional board, the Secretary shall competitively
award--
`(A) the funds in each regional fund to a regional center to carry out
multi-State applied research, extension, education, and development;
and
`(B) the designation of the regional center to an agency, institution
of higher education, nonprofit organization, or joint entity in the
region.
`(2) SHARED CENTERS- An agency, institution of higher education, nonprofit
organization, or joint entity may host more than 1 regional center if
the appropriate regional board determines that shared administrative and
other expenses benefits program efficiency.
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall establish a regional board for each
region.
`(A) IN GENERAL- The membership of each regional board shall include--
`(i) representatives of--
`(I) the Agricultural Research Service;
`(II) the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service;
`(III) the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
`(IV) nonprofit organizations with demonstrable expertise in sustainable
agriculture and sustainable bioenergy and biobased product use and
production;
`(V) cooperatives engaged in bioenergy or biobased products production;
`(VI) agricultural producers involved in production of agricultural
commodities for bioenergy and biobased products;
`(VII) landowners or businesses involved in forestry; and
`(VIII) agribusinesses; and
`(ii) 1 member from each State designated by the Governor of the State
and approved by the Secretary who represents--
`(I) State cooperative extension services;
`(II) State agricultural experiment stations; and
`(III) State departments engaged in bioenergy and biobased products
programs.
`(B) ROTATION- The members of the board described in clause (ii) shall
regularly rotate among representatives of the groups described in subclauses
(I), (II), and (III) in order that each regional board has equitable
representation of each of those groups.
`(3) RELATION TO EXISTING OR FUTURE REGIONAL CONSORTIUMS- If a regional
consortium is developed that, as determined by the Secretary, fulfills
the goals of this section and reflects, to the maximum extent practicable,
the membership diversity described in paragraph (2), the regional consortium
or a subpart of the regional consortium may act as the regional board
for the purposes of this section.
`(4) RESPONSIBILITIES- Each regional board shall--
`(A) promote the programs established under this section at the regional
level;
`(B) establish goals and criteria for the selection of projects authorized
under this section within the applicable region;
`(C) appoint a technical committee to evaluate proposals for projects
to be considered under this section by the regional board;
`(D) review and act on the recommendations of the technical committee,
and coordinate the activities of the regional board with the regional
host institution; and
`(E) prepare and make available an annual report covering projects funded
under this section and including an evaluation of the project activity.
`(5) PREFERENCES- In determining regional priorities and making funding
decisions, the regional board shall give preference to--
`(A) collaborative proposals;
`(B) research that adapts existing technology to local conditions;
`(C) proposals that include more than 1 of the components of education,
extension, and research and development;
`(D) proposals that examine multiple factors (including economic, social,
and environmental factors) at a landscape or watershed scale to maximize
the public value; and
`(E) proposals that develop and evaluate more sustainable alternatives
to traditional monocultures, including perennial continuous living cover
systems and incorporating bioenergy or biobased product production on
conventional farms in sensitive areas, such as perennial biomass production
on watercourses.
`(6) OTHER DUTIES- The regional board shall coordinate with other Federal
programs (including the research, extension, and educational programs
described in section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8109)) to support joint initiatives, encourage complimentary
priorities, and prevent duplication of effort.
`(g) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through
2013, to remain available until expended.'.
(c) Agroforestry Conversion and Cellulosic Production Pilot Programs-
(1) AGROFORESTRY CONVERSION-
(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this paragraph
as the `Secretary') shall carry out an agroforestry conversion pilot
program under which the Secretary shall provide technical assistance,
cost share assistance, grants, or loans to landowners during the establishment
phase of a woody crop.
(B) SELECTION- In providing assistance under this paragraph, the Secretary
shall--
(i) use a competitive selection process; and
(ii) consider diversity of--
(III) type of woody crop;
(IV) method of requested support.
(2) CELLULOSIC PRODUCTION PILOT PROGRAM-
(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall carry a cellulosic production pilot
program under which the Secretary shall provide loans, loan guarantees,
or grants, or any combination thereof, to cooperatives, businesses,
or joint ventures to produce cellulosic ethanol from woody biomass on
a commercial scale.
(B) MULTIPLE PILOT PROGRAMS- If there is sufficient funding for the
Secretary to carry out more than 1 pilot program under this paragraph,
the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that
the pilot programs are geographically representative of the major forestry
regions of the United States.
(3) REPORT- Not later than October 1, 2013, the Secretary shall 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--
(A) describes the effectiveness of the pilot programs under this subsection;
and
(B) recommends whether or not the pilot programs should be continued
and at what funding level.
(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013.
(1) RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS- Section
9006(f) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8106(f)) is amended by striking `section $23,000,000' and all that follows
and inserting `section--
`(1) $23,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
`(2) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
`(3) $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.'.
(2) GRANTS FOR CERTAIN VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS- Section 231(b)(4)
of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public
Law 106-224) is amended--
(A) by striking `Not later' and inserting the following:
`(A) FISCAL YEARS 2003 THROUGH 2007- Not later'; and.
(B) by adding at the end the following:
`(B) FISCAL YEARS 2008 THROUGH 2013-
`(i) IN GENERAL- Not later than October 1, 2007, and each October
1 thereafter through October 1, 2012, of the funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall made available to carry out
this subsection, $60,000,000, to remain available until expended.
`(ii) USE OF FUNDS- The Secretary shall ensure that not less than
10 percent of the competitive grants awarded during each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2013 are awarded to producers of value-added agricultural
products that use or produce biobased products or bioenergy.'.
SEC. 4. FUTURE OF FARMING, RANCHING, AND LAND MANAGEMENT.
(a) In General- Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act is amended by inserting after section 344 (7 U.S.C. 1991) the following:
`SEC. 345. FUTURE OF FARMING, RANCHING, AND LAND MANAGEMENT.
`(a) Grants To Support the Future of Farming, Ranching, and Land Management-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make grants to States to support
the development of the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and other
land managers.
`(2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), funds made available
under paragraph (4) shall be allocated among the States in accordance
with the terms and conditions of paragraphs (1) through (3) of section
3(c) of the Hatch Act of 1887 (7 U.S.C. 361c(c)) and subparagraph (C).
`(i) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may use funds described in clause (ii)
to provide bonus grants to States based on the need and merit of projects
identified through annual reports submitted under paragraph (3)(E),
as determined by the Secretary.
`(ii) RELEVANT FUNDS- The funds referenced in clause (i) are funds
that--
`(I) would otherwise remain unallocated under this subsection for
a fiscal year; or
`(II) remain unused by a State as of the end of the grant term,
as determined by the Secretary; or
`(III) are returned to the Secretary in accordance with paragraph
(3)(D)(ii).
`(C) ADMINISTRATION- The Secretary shall use not more than 5 percent
of funds made available under paragraph (4)--
`(i) to maintain a clearinghouse for projects funded under this section;
`(ii) to fund liaisons within each agency of the Department of Agriculture;
and
`(iii) to support studies, competitions, and administration required
by this section.
`(3) CONDITIONS ON RECEIVING GRANTS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The Governor of a State shall designate or establish
an agency, public institution of higher education (as that term is defined
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)),
or joint entity in the State as the lead agency for the distribution
of grant funds.
`(B) DUTIES- A lead agency designated under subparagraph (A) shall--
`(i) encourage collaboration between agencies, cooperative extension,
local nonprofit organizations, agricultural organizations, and institutions
of higher education in the State;
`(ii) support private- and nonprofit-public partnerships for purposes
of the grant;
`(iii) establish a local citizen and industry advisory board;
`(iv) in consultation with the advisory board, develop a statewide
plan to increase opportunities for, and reduce barriers to, beginning
farmers and ranchers and, in accordance with subparagraph (C), other
rural professions;
`(v) support the development of local community-based support and
mentoring networks;
`(vi) to the maximum extent practicable, enable the transfer of family
farms to children or other relatives of owners in order to allow family
farms to be kept whole in cases in which the division of the farm
would result in a less viable agricultural operation; and
`(vii) support small-scale models for farms or ranches for beginning
farmers and ranchers and other rural professions, including models
based on--
`(I) community-supported agriculture;
`(II) organic agriculture;
`(IV) speciality agricultural products;
`(V) sustainable production;
`(C) OTHER RURAL PROFESSIONS- A State that identifies other important
rural professions in the State (including professions involving forestry,
conservation, land management, tourism, or a combination of those professions)
may include those professions in the statewide plan under subparagraph
(B)(iv).
`(i) IN GENERAL- A recipient of funds for an activity under this subsection
shall contribute in the form of cash or in-kind contributions an amount
of non-Federal funds to carry out the activity that is equal to the
amount of Federal funds received for the activity.
`(ii) RETURN OF FUNDS- A recipient of funds for an activity under
this subsection that fails to comply with the requirement to provide
full matching funds for a fiscal year under clause (i) shall return
to the Secretary an amount equal to the difference between--
`(I) the amount provided to the recipient under this subsection;
and
`(II) the amount of matching funds actually provided by the recipient.
`(i) IN GENERAL- A grant received under this subsection may be used
to pay the Federal share of carrying out the programs that support
and develop the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and other rural
professionals, including--
`(II) education, including targeted scholarships and loan forgiveness,
for traditional degree and certificate courses and continuing education
and short courses;
`(III) technical assistance, including support for development of
cooperatives;
`(IV) grants to support transitional ownership, mentorships, apprenticeships,
and peer-support networks;
`(V) support of matched-savings programs through individual development
accounts that can be used for capitol expenses, land acquisition,
or training for beginning farmers, ranchers, and other rural professionals;
`(VI) support of farmer land contract programs to provide payment
guarantees to encourage retiring landowners to sell to beginning
farmers, ranchers, and rural professionals; and
`(VII) any other activity identified or approved by the Secretary
as meeting those goals;
`(ii) PREFERENCE- In allocating grants and other direct assistance
under this subsection, a lead agency shall give priority to limited
resource and socially-disadvantaged individuals.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Not later than February 1 of each year, each State
receiving a grant under this subsection shall submit to the Secretary
a report that describes and evaluates the use of grant funds during
the preceding fiscal year.
`(ii) PUBLICATION- The Secretary shall make available to the public
all reports received under clause (i).
`(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013, to remain available until expended.
`(b) Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers- To the maximum
extent practicable, the Secretary shall use funds otherwise available to
the Secretary--
`(1) to support the work of the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers
and Ranchers established under section 5(b) of the Agricultural Credit
Improvement Act of 1992 (7 U.S.C. 1929 note; Public Law 102-554) (referred
to in this subsection as the `Committee')--
`(2) to fund more frequent meetings of the Committee (including meetings
at least twice per year); and
`(3) to increase the outreach activities of the Committee, including increased
public field hearings, if determined to be necessary by the Committee.
`(c) Study and Pilot Program-
`(1) BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER LOAN PROGRAM-
`(A) IN GENERAL- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use funds made available under subparagraph (D)--
`(i) to study the provision under this Act of direct farm ownership
and guaranteed loans to beginning farmers and ranchers;
`(ii) to carry out a pilot program to use additional resources to
reduce the backlog of loan applications from beginning farmers and
ranchers;
`(iii) to carry out a pilot program under which grants, rather than
loans, are provided to support capitol investments or farm purchases
at the same amount as the subsidy would be over the term of a comparable
loan; and
`(iv) to carry out a pilot program under which direct and guaranteed
loans are provided under this Act to beginning farmers and ranchers
with no interest or payments due, and no accrual of interest, during
a period of up to the first 36 months of the loans.
`(i) INITIAL REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that--
`(I) describes the results of the study under subparagraph (A)(i);
and
`(II) recommends changes to improve the efficiency of the provision
under this Act of direct and guaranteed loans to beginning farmers
and ranchers.
`(ii) ADDITIONAL REPORTS- Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and thereafter as appropriate, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report that describes the effectiveness
of the pilot programs described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
`(C) ADDITIONAL PILOT PROGRAMS- After submission of the study under
subparagraph (B)(i), the Secretary may use funds made available to carry
out this subsection--
`(i) to continue the pilot programs described in subparagraph (A)(ii);
or
`(ii) to carry out other pilot programs based on the conclusions and
recommendations of the study.
`(D) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013.
`(d) GAO Study and Report-
`(1) STUDY- The Comptroller General of the United States shall carry out
a study of possible tax incentives, contract guarantees, and other measures
to support the transfer of land from retiring farmers and ranchers to
beginning farmers and ranchers.
`(2) REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this
section, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to
Congress a report that evaluates, and makes recommendations concerning,
the effectiveness of measures studied under paragraph (1).'.
(b) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program- Section 7405 of the
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3319f) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(5)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking `and' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting
`; and'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
`(D) refugee or immigrant farmers or ranchers'; and
(2) by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:
`(1) FEES AND CONTRIBUTIONS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary may--
`(i) charge a fee to cover all or part of the costs of curriculum
development and the delivery of programs or workshops provided by--
`(I) a beginning farmer and rancher education team established under
subsection (d); or
`(II) the online clearinghouse established under subsection (e);
and
`(ii) accept contributions from cooperating entities under a cooperative
agreement entered into under subsection (d)(4)(B) to cover all or
part of the costs for the delivery of programs or workshops by the
beginning farmer and rancher education teams.
`(B) AVAILABILITY- Fees and contributions received by the Secretary
under subparagraph (A) shall--
`(i) be deposited in the account that incurred the costs to carry
out this section;
`(ii) be available to the Secretary to carry out the purposes of the
account, without further appropriation;
`(iii) remain available until expended; and
`(iv) be in addition to any funds made available under paragraph (2).
`(2) FUNDING- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use $20,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
carry out this section, to remain available for 2 fiscal years after the
date on which the funds are first made available.'.
(c) Improving and Targeting Farm Support and Conservation Programs for Beginning
Farmers, Ranchers, and Rural Professionals-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section
as the `Secretary') shall carry out a study to identify and propose remedies
to barriers to small, beginning, socially disadvantaged, and limited resource
producers in conservation and farm support programs, including--
(A) the environmental quality incentives program established under chapter
4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3839aa et seq.);
(B) the conservation security program established under subchapter A
of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838 et seq.);
(C) the farmland protection program established under subchapter B of
chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985
(16 U.S.C. 3838h et seq.) (commonly known as the `Farm and Ranch Lands
Protection Program');
(D) the wetlands reserve program established under subchapter C of chapter
1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3837 et seq.);
(E) risk management tools, such as insurance;
(F) commodity support programs;
(G) food purchases by the Agricultural Marketing Service;
(H) the provision of value-added agricultural product market development
grants to producers under section 231(b) of the Agricultural Risk Protection
Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 106-224); and
(I) other programs identified by the Advisory Committee on Beginning
Farmers and Ranchers established under section 5(b) of the Agricultural
Credit Improvement Act of 1992 (7 U.S.C. 1929 note; Public Law 102-554).
(2) REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, and every 2 years thereafter, or otherwise on the recommendation
of the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers established
under section 5(b) of the Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of 1992
(7 U.S.C. 1929 note; Public Law 102-554), the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report that--
(A) describes the results of the study under paragraph (1);
(B) summarizes the participation rates for small, beginning, socially
disadvantaged, and limited resource producers in the programs studied;
(C) recommends changes to make the programs studied more accessible
and effective for limited resource and beginning farmers and ranchers;
and
(D) for each report after the initial report, describes the status of
changes recommended by previous reports.
(3) SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM- It is
the sense of the Senate that--
(A) the conservation security program established under subchapter A
of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838 et seq.) was intended to be an entitlement available
to all agricultural producers, rather than available on a piecemeal
basis;
(B) sufficient mandatory funds should be provided to the conservation
security program to fulfill the promise of supporting conservation on
working land; and
(C) the next reauthorization of the Farm Bill should--
(i) contain sufficient mandatory funding for the conservation security
program; and
(ii) continue the 15 percent cost-share bonus for beginning farmers
and ranchers for the conservation security program and the environmental
quality incentives program established under chapter 4 of subtitle
D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa
et seq.).
(d) Sustainable Agriculture Initiatives-
(1) APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR RURAL AREAS- There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out appropriate
technology transfer for rural areas program under the same terms and conditions
as funds provided under the heading `RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS'
under the heading `Rural Business-Cooperative Service' in title III of
the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-97; 119 Stat.
2141) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, to remain
available until expended.
(2) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM-
(A) BEST UTILIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS-
(i) IN GENERAL- Section 1624 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation,
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5814) is amended to read as follows:
`SEC. 1624. FUNDING.
`(a) In General- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out sections
1621 and 1622 $75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, to
remain available until expended.
`(b) Federal-State Matching Grant Program- For each of fiscal years 2008
through 2013, the Secretary shall use $20,000,000 of funds of the Commodity
Credit Corporation to carry out section 1623, to remain available until
expended.'.
(ii) MULTI-STATE REGIONS- Section 1623 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation,
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5813) is amended--
(I) in subsections (a), (b), (c)(1), and (d)(1), by inserting `or
multi-State regions' after `States' each place it appears;
(II) in subsection (a), by inserting `or multi-State' after `enhancement
of State';
(III) in subsection (b)(8), by inserting `or multi-State region'
after `State';
(IV) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (c) and subsection
(d)(1), by inserting `or multi-State' after `State' each place it
appears; and
(V) in subsection (d)(2)--
(aa) in the paragraph heading by inserting `OR MULTI-STATE' after
`STATE';
(bb) by inserting `or multi-State region' after `a State';
(cc) by inserting `or multi-State' after `from State';
(dd) by inserting `or multi-State' after `other State'; and
(ee) by inserting `or multi-State region' after `the State'.
(B) NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM- Section 1629 of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5832) is amended by striking
subsection (i) and inserting the following:
`(i) Funding- There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, to remain available
until expended.'.
(1) ORGANIC AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION INITIATIVE- Section 1672B
of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.
5925b) is amended by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
`(e) Funding- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use $15,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry
out this section, to remain available until expended.'.
(2) NATIONAL ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST-SHARE PROGRAM- Section 10606 of
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 6523) is
amended--
(A) in subsection (a), by striking `$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2002'
and inserting `$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008';
(B) in subsection (b)(2), by striking `$500' and inserting `$750'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
`(c) Recordkeeping Requirements-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Agricultural Marketing
Service, shall--
`(A) keep accurate, up-to-date records of requests and disbursements
from the program under this section; and
`(B) require accurate and consistent recordkeeping from each State or
other entity receiving program payments.
`(2) FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS- Not later than 30 days after the closing date
for States to request funding under the program, the Secretary shall--
`(A) finalize records that describe--
`(i) each State that has requested funding; and
`(ii) the amount of each funding request; and
`(B) distribute the funding to the States.
`(3) STATE REQUIREMENTS- Annual funding requests from each State shall
include data from the program during the previous year, including--
`(A)(i) a description of which entities requested reimbursement;
`(ii) the amount of each reimbursement; and
`(iii) any discrepancies between requests and the fulfillment of the
requests;
`(B) data to support increases in requests expected in the coming year,
including information from certifiers or other data showing growth projections;
and
`(C) an explanation if an annual request is made for an amount less
than the amount requested the previous year.
`(d) Reporting- Not later than March of each year, the Secretary shall provide
an annual report to Congress that describes, for each State, the expenditures
under the program under this section, including the number of producers
and handlers served by the program in the previous fiscal year.'.
(3) NATIONAL ORGANIC CONVERSION AND STEWARDSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM- The
Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) is amended--
(A) by redesignating sections 2122 and 2123 (7 U.S.C. 6521, 6522) as
sections 2124 and 2125, respectively; and
(B) by inserting after section 2121 (7 U.S.C. 6520) the following:
`SEC. 2122. NATIONAL ORGANIC CONVERSION AND STEWARDSHIP INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
`(a) Definition of Secretary- In this section, the term `Secretary' means
the Secretary (acting through the Natural Resources Conservation Service),
in consultation with the National Organic Technical Committee established
under subsection (h).
`(b) Program- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
the Rural Opportunities Act of 2007, the Secretary shall establish a national
organic agriculture conversion and stewardship incentives program under
which the Secretary shall provide cost-share and incentive payments and
technical assistance to eligible producers who enter into contracts with
the Secretary to assist the producers in--
`(1) developing and implementing practices to convert all or part of nonorganic
farms to certified organic farms; and
`(2) adopting advanced organic farming conservation systems.
`(1) IN GENERAL- To be eligible for a payment or technical assistance
under this section, a producer shall enter into a contract with the Secretary
under which the producer shall agree to develop and implement an organic
system plan that--
`(A) describes the conservation and environmental purposes to be achieved
through conservation practices and activities under the contract;
`(B) demonstrates an existing market or reasonable expectation of a
future market for an agricultural product that is organically produced;
and
`(C) meets the requirements of this title.
`(2) COMPLIANCE- To be eligible for a payment or technical assistance
under this section, a producer shall comply with organic certification
requirements as verified by a certifying agent (as defined in section
2103 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6502).
`(3) CONVERSION PAYMENTS FOR CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCERS- A producer who
owns or operates a farm that is partially a certified organic farm and
who otherwise meets the requirements of this section shall be eligible
for payments under this section to convert other parts of the farm to
a certified organic farm.
`(4) APPEALS- An applicant that seeks assistance under this section shall
have the right to appeal an adverse decision of the Secretary with respect
to an application for the assistance, in accordance with subtitle H of
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6991
et seq.).
`(d) Eligible Practices and Activities- The Secretary shall provide payments
and technical assistance to eligible producers under this section for--
`(A) organic practices and activities to convert all or part of a nonorganic
farm to a certified organic farm, in accordance with an organic system
plan that meets the requirements of this title;
`(B) advanced organic practices that are consistent with the organic
system plan;
`(C) organic animal welfare measures, so long as the measures are--
`(i) necessary to implement an organic practice standard; and
`(ii) consistent with an approved plan to transition to certified
organic production; and
`(D) other measures, as determined by the Secretary; and
`(2) developing an organic system plan that meets the requirements of
this title.
`(e) Payment Limitations-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), an individual
or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive
payments under this section--
`(A) that, in the aggregate, exceed $10,000 per year; or
`(B) for a period of more than 4 years.
`(2) SPECIALTY CROPS- In the case of an individual or entity who annually
produces 3 or more types of specialty crops (as defined in section 3 of
the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note; Public
Law 108-465)), the individual or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly,
cost-share or incentive payments under this section--
`(A) that, in the aggregate, exceed $20,000 per year; or
`(B) for a period of more than 4 years.
`(3) DAIRY- In the case of an individual or entity whose principal farming
enterprise is a dairy operation, the individual or entity may not receive,
directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive payments under this section--
`(A) that, in the aggregate, exceed $20,000 per year; or
`(B) for a period of more than 4 years.
`(f) Technical and Educational Assistance-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall use not less than 50 percent of the
funds that are made available under subsection (k) for each fiscal year
to--
`(A) provide technical assistance to eligible producers to carry out
eligible practices and activities described in subsection (d); and
`(B) enter into cooperative agreements with qualified nonprofit and
nongovernmental organizations and consultants to carry out educational
programs that promote the purposes of this section, as determined by
the Secretary.
`(2) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS- Of the amount of funds for a fiscal year
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall use not less than 50 percent
of the funds to carry out paragraph (1)(B).
`(g) Suspension Authority-
`(1) ASSESSMENTS- Not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary
shall publish in the Federal Register and otherwise make available an
assessment for each organic product that analyzes--
`(A) the domestic production and consumption of the organic product;
`(B) the import and export organic market demand and growth potential
for the organic product; and
`(C) the estimated number and total amount of new payments under this
section for the fiscal year to be made to producers of the organic product.
`(2) SUSPENSION OF NEW CONTRACTS- The Secretary shall not enter into contracts
with new producers of an organic product under this section if the Secretary
determines that entering into the contracts would--
`(A) produce an increased quantity of the organic product that the Secretary
finds is reasonably anticipated to adversely affect the economic viability
of producers who own or operate certified organic farms under this title;
or
`(B) create an unreasonable geographic disparity in the distribution
of payments under this section.
`(h) National Organic Technical Committee-
`(1) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary shall establish a National Organic Technical
Committee to--
`(A) advise and assist the Secretary in carrying out the program established
under this section; and
`(B) improve the interface between owners and operators of certified
organic farms and other conservation programs and activities administered
by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, including development
of criteria for the approval of qualified organic technical advisors
under this title.
`(2) MEMBERSHIP- The National Organic Technical Committee shall consist
of 9 members appointed by the Secretary, including--
`(A) 3 owners or operators of certified organic farms;
`(B) 2 certifying agents;
`(C) 2 inspectors of organic products;
`(D) 1 representative of an environmental organization that is knowledgeable
concerning organic agriculture; and
`(E) 1 scientist with expertise in conservation planning.
`(i) Annual Reports- Not later than March 1 of each year, the Secretary
shall 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 describes the operation of the program established under this
section, including--
`(1) a State-by-State analysis of expenditures on assistance under this
section, including the number of producers served by the program and the
practices and activities implemented;
`(2) an assessment of the impact of the program on organic food production;
and
`(3) any recommended modifications to the program.
`(j) National Program Review-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 4 years after the commencement of the
program established under this section, the Secretary shall--
`(A) conduct a national program review (including public hearings) of
the program established under this section; 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 describes the results of the review (including any appropriate
recommendations).
`(2) CONTENT- In conducting the review, the Secretary shall evaluate and
make recommendations to--
`(A) resolve any program deficiencies;
`(B) redress any underserved States, agricultural products, and regions;
and
`(C) ensure that the program is contributing positively to the profitability
of small- and intermediate-size producers and existing owners and operators
of certified organic farms.
`(k) Funding- Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary
shall use to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2013, to remain available until expended.'.
(4) ANNUAL REPORT- The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.
6501 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 2122 (as added by
paragraph (3)) the following:
`SEC. 2123. ANNUAL REPORT.
`Each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make available to
the public, a report that--
`(1) describes the enforcement activities carried out by the Secretary
under this Act to ensure the integrity of organic labels; and
`(2) includes specific details on the number and investigative results
of retail surveillance and oversight by certifying agents under this Act.'.
(5) REPORT- Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the progress
in carrying out the national organic program established under the Organic
Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) in implementing the
recommendations contained in--
(A) the audit conducted in 2004 by the American National Standards Institute;
and
(B) the audit conducted in 2005 by the Office of the Inspector General
of the Department of Agriculture.
(f) Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Outreach and Technical Assistance
Program- Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by adding at the end the following:
`(C) FUNDING- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use $25,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
carry out this subsection, to remain available until expended.'; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by inserting `, including beginning farmers
and ranchers in those groups,' after `groups'.
SEC. 5. ENCOURAGING LOCAL MARKETS FOR FOOD, BIOENERGY, AND BIOPRODUCTS.
(a) Geographic Procurement Preference for Department of Defense and Department
of Agriculture-
(1) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--
(A) local produce, as compared to transported produce--
(i) is often harvested closer to full ripeness and can have higher
nutritional quality;
(ii) can have improved ripeness, taste, or selection, which can increase
rates of consumption of fruits and vegetables; and
(iii) is more efficient to store, distribute, and package;
(B) use of local produce--
(i) reduces dependence upon foreign oil by reducing fuel consumption
rates associated with the production or transportation of fruits and
vegetables;
(ii) can help to improve the ability of those using the procurement
system to provide education on nutrition, farming, sustainability,
energy efficiency, and the importance of local purchases to the local
economy;
(iii) helps to maintain a robust logistics network for agricultural
product procurement; and
(iv) promotes farm, business, and economic development by accessing
local markets; and
(C) section 9(j) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1758(j)) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage
institutions participating in the school lunch program established under
that Act and the school breakfast program established by section 4 of
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) to purchase, in addition
to other food purchases, locally produced foods, to the maximum extent
practicable and appropriate.
(2) GEOGRAPHIC PROCUREMENT PREFERENCE-
(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department
of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, schools, local educational
agencies, and other entities may use a geographic preference to purchase
locally produced fruits and vegetables for--
(i) in the case of programs carried out by the Department of Defense--
(I) the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia;
(II) the Department of Defense Farm to School Program;
(III) the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program;
(IV) the service academies;
(V) Department of Defense domestic dependant schools;
(VI) other Department of Defense schools under chapter 108 of title
10, United States Code;
(VII) commissary and exchange stores; and
(VIII) morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) facilities operated
by the Department of Defense; and
(ii) in the case of programs carried out by the Department of Agriculture,
schools, local educational agencies, and other entities--
(I) the school breakfast program established by section 4 of the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773);
(II) the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
(III) the summer food service program for children established under
section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42
U.S.C. 1761); and
(IV) the child and adult care food program established under section
17 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1766).
(B) ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATIONS- A local food service director or other
entity may include a geographic preference described in subparagraph
(A) in bid specifications and may select a bid involving locally produced
fruits and vegetables, even if that bid is not the lowest bid.
(3) SCOPE OF AUTHORITY- The authority provided in paragraph (2) applies
to the purchase of fruits and vegetables for both Department of Defense
and non-Department of Defense uses.
(4) REPORTING- A school, local educational agency, or other entity participating
in 1 or more of the programs described in paragraph (2)(B) shall report
to the Secretary of Agriculture if the school, local educational agency,
or other entity pays more than 10 percent more than the lowest bid to
purchase locally produced fruits and vegetables in accordance with this
subsection.
(5) REVIEW- The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Agriculture
shall periodically review the program under this subsection to prevent
fraud or abuse.
(b) Access to Local Foods and School Gardens- Section 18(i) of the Richard
B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(i)) is amended by striking
paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
`(2) FUNDING- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use $10,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to
carry out this subsection, to remain available until expended.'.
(c) Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program- Section 4402(a) of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking `The Secretary' and inserting the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary;'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(2) SUBSEQUENT FUNDING- Of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation,
the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $25,000,000 for fiscal
year 2008, to remain available until expended.'.
(d) WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program- Section 17(m)(9)(A) of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)(9)(A)) is amended by striking clause
(ii) and inserting the following:
`(i) MANDATORY FUNDING- Of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation,
the Secretary shall use to carry out this subsection $30,000,000 for
fiscal year 2008, to remain available until expended.'.
(e) Farmers Market Promotion Program- Section 6 of the Farmer-to-Consumer
Direct Marketing Act of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 3005) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`(f) Mandatory Funding- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the
Secretary shall use $20,000,000 of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation
to carry out this section, to remain available until expended.'.
(f) Grants for Development of Local Food, Bioenergy, and Bioproducts Systems-
Section 231(b)(4)(B) of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7
U.S.C. 1621 note; Public Law 106-224) (as added by section 3(b)(2)) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(iii) DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL FOOD, BIOENERGY, AND BIOPRODUCTS SYSTEMS-
`(I) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall ensure that not less than 30
percent of the competitive grants awarded during each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2013 are awarded to producers of value-added
agricultural products relating to developing local food, bioenergy,
and bioproducts systems (such as supporting local markets, labeling
of production location, local infrastructure, or local distribution).
`(II) SPECIFIC PROJECTS- Not less than 50 percent of the grants
specified in subclause (I) shall be used to fund projects that support
the establishment of mid-tier food value-added chains intended to
help mid-sized farms, through the marketing of differentiated products
that adhere to sound social and environmental principles and equitable
business practices at regional scales.
`(III) PROJECT DETAILS- Projects described in subclause (II) should--
`(aa) facilitate partnerships between businesses, cooperatives,
non-profits, agencies, and educational institutions;
`(bb) have mid-sized farmer or rancher participation;
`(cc) include an agreement from the eligible agricultural producer
group, farmer or rancher cooperative, or majority-controlled producer-based
business venture engaged in the food value-added chain relating to the method
for price determination; and
`(dd) articulate clear and transparent social, environmental,
fair labor, and fair trade standards.'.
(g) Assistance for Community Food Projects- Section 25 of the Food Stamp
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2034) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking `and' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking `or' at the end and inserting `and';
and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
`(D) supply healthy local foods to underserved markets, including--
`(i) purchase of local foods by government and nonprofit institutions;
`(ii) provision of technical assistance for retail development in
underserved areas;
`(iii) support of metropolitan production linked to community-based
food services and markets (such as urban, community, school, and market
gardens);
`(iv) provision of technical assistance for limited-resource and socially-disadvantaged
applicants;
`(v) support of local purchase of foods by food banks and other emergency
providers; and
`(vi) support of an information clearinghouse on innovative solutions
to common community food security challenges; or';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
`(1) IN GENERAL- For each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013, the Secretary
shall use, of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation--
`(A) $15,000,000 to make grants to assist eligible private nonprofit
entities to establish and carry out community food projects;
`(B) $10,000,000 to encourage eligible private nonprofit entities to
purchase of local foods for community food projects;
`(C) $10,000,000 to provide technical assistance under this section
for retail development in underserved areas;
`(D) $10,000,000 for the community food project competitive grant program
to support metropolitan production linked to community-based food services
and markets (urban, community, school and marke
