Agriculture

Sustainable Farmland for the Future Act

United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2017

Sustainable Farmland for the Future Act This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to modify the conservation compliance provisions that apply to farmers who receive certain Department of Agriculture (USDA) benefits and have land that is highly erodible or a wetland. The bill modifies the compliance provisions to: apply the requirements to cropland that is planted to a row crop rather than highly erodible cropland; modify the requirements for a conservation system; modify the compliance requirements for farmers who receive crop insurance premium subsidies; expand the authority and requirements for USDA to review conservation plans; require USDA to use specified funds to provide technical assistance, conduct status reviews, and carry out other tasks needed to implement the conservation requirements; and revise the enforcement procedures for wetlands.

NOMINATION HEARING: STEPHEN CENSKY TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, AND TED MCKINNEY TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR TRADE AND FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS

United States · United States Senate · 19 September 2017

Wildfire Disaster Funding Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017

Wildfire Disaster Funding Act This bill amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to require specified adjustments to discretionary spending limits in FY2017-FY2026 to accommodate appropriations for wildfire suppression operations in the Wildland Fire Management accounts at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Department of the Interior. If USDA or Interior determines that supplemental appropriations are necessary for wildfire suppression operations, the bill requires the relevant department to submit to Congress a request for the funding and a plan for obligating the funds. The bill also requires the President's budget to include the average costs for wildfire suppression over the previous 10 years.

CREAATE Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017

Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports Act or the CREAATE Act This bill amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to extend through FY2023 the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program, which are programs administered by the Department of Agriculture to promote exports of U.S. agricultural products.

Volunteer First Responder Housing Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2017

Volunteer First Responder Housing Act This bill expands eligibility for assistance under the Department of Agriculture Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program with respect to qualified volunteer first responders.

Juab County Conveyance Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017

Juab County Conveyance Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), upon written request by Juab County in Utah, to convey to the county, without consideration and by quitclaim deed, all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to the Nephi Work Center located at 740 South Main Street in Nephi. The county must pay reasonable costs incurred by USDA for a survey as required by this bill and any required environmental or administrative analysis related to the conveyance.

Century Farms Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2017

Century Farms Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to recognize: (1) any farm that a state department of agriculture or similar statewide agricultural organization recognizes as a Century Farm, or (2) a farm or ranch that has been operated continuously and owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years.

SNAP Standard Medical Expense Deduction Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2017

SNAP Standard Medical Expense Deduction Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow households containing an elderly or disabled member to use a standard medical expense deduction for calculating income to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits. If the amount of actual costs of allowable medical expenses incurred by the elderly or disabled member for a month, exclusive of special diets, is equal to or greater than $35, the standard medical deduction for each month is: (1) $140 for FY2018, and (2) the preceding year's amount with a specified adjustment for inflation for FY2019 and each subsequent year. If the monthly costs are greater than the sum of the standard medical deduction and $35, the household may deduct the actual costs. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) may approve a standard medical deduction that is higher than the amount required by this bill. USDA must submit specified studies and reports to Congress regarding: (1) state performance in enrolling disabled and elderly individuals in SNAP and specified Medicare programs, (2) disability and food insecurity, and (3) the effectiveness of the standard medical deduction.

Healthy Breakfasts Help Kids Learn Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2017

Healthy Breakfasts Help Kids Learn Act of 2017 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide additional food (known as commodity assistance) to states participating in the School Breakfast Program (SBP). (Under current law, USDA provides commodity assistance to states participating in the National School Lunch Program based on the number of lunches served. The food may also be served as part of the SBP or other child nutrition programs.) The bill modifies the requirements to: (1) repeal a provision that prohibits USDA from offering commodity assistance based on the number of school breakfasts served, and (2) require USDA to use a specified formula to provide additional commodity assistance for each school breakfast served.

Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017

Agricultural Energy Programs Reauthorization Act of 2017 This bill amends the Farm Security Rural Investment Act of 2002 to reauthorize through FY2023 several Department of Agriculture (USDA) energy programs, including: the Biobased Markets Program; the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program; the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels; the Rural Energy For America Program (REAP); the Biomass Research and Development Initiative; the Feedstock Flexibility Program; and the Community Wood Energy Program. The bill modifies and reauthorizes the Biomass Crop Assistance Program to: rename it the Biofuels and Biobased Product Feedstock and Wildland Fire Protection Program; require USDA to provide assistance under the program for hazardous woody fuel reduction projects; and expand the definition of eligible materials to include algae and animal waste byproducts, including fat, oil, grease, and manure. The bill provides mandatory funding through FY2023 for several of the reauthorized programs. The bill modifies the Biobased Markets Program to: (1) include producers of renewable chemicals in the voluntary labeling program, and (2) require USDA and the Department of Commerce to jointly develop North American Industry Classification system codes for renewable chemical manufacturers and biobased products manufacturers. The bill modifies REAP to prohibit more than 30% of the funds from being used each year for: (1) any one form of renewable energy, or (2) technologies to improve the efficiency of energy usage.

To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to limit the overall rate of return for crop insurance providers and remove the requirement of budget neutrality in the Standard Reinsurance Agreement.

United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017

This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to modify the requirements for the federal crop insurance program. The bill: (1) limits the average rate of return for reinsured companies for the 2018 reinsurance year and each subsequent reinsurance year to 9.6% of retained premiums, and (2) eliminates the requirement that any renegotiated Standard Insurance Agreement (SRA) be budget-neutral. (The SRA is an agreement between the Department of Agriculture [USDA] and the private companies that administer the federal crop insurance program that specifies details such as administrative and operating expense reimbursements and risk sharing. Eliminating the budget neutrality requirement permits USDA to use the renegotiation of the SRA to achieve savings.)

A bill to amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to limit the overall rate of return for crop insurance providers and remove the requirement of budget neutrality in the Standard Reinsurance Agreement.

United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017

This bill amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to modify the requirements for the federal crop insurance program. The bill: (1) limits the average rate of return for reinsured companies for the 2018 reinsurance year and each subsequent reinsurance year to 9.6% of retained premiums, and (2) eliminates the requirement that any renegotiated Standard Insurance Agreement (SRA) be budget-neutral. (The SRA is an agreement between the Department of Agriculture [USDA] and the private companies that administer the federal crop insurance program that specifies details such as administrative and operating expense reimbursements and risk sharing. Eliminating the budget neutrality requirement permits USDA to use the renegotiation of the SRA to achieve savings.)

Urban Agriculture Production Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 7 September 2017

Urban Agriculture Production Act of 201 7 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an urban agriculture outreach program to award grants for: (1) infrastructure; (2) land acquisition, land conversion, and soil and growing mechanism assistance; (3) education and training; (4) technical and financial assistance to farmers, producers, or ranchers in urban areas; and (5) other activities that support urban agriculture. USDA must give preference to grants for activities in historically underserved communities. USDA must establish the position of Urban Agricultural Liaison. USDA must award grants for scientific and community-based participatory research related to urban agriculture. The bill provides specified funds for the grants and requires USDA to give priority to outreach activities to be carried out in historically underserved communities. The bill amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to: (1) establish a program to provide loans and loan guarantees for projects or activities to establish, expand, and promote direct producer-to-consumer marketing and assist in the development of local food business enterprises; and (2) extend and provide additional funding for the Farmers' Market Promotion Program. The bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and provide additional funding. The bill amends the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 to require additional USDA reporting on farmers' markets and agricultural production in urban areas.

Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017

United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017

Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 This bill provides emergency supplemental FY2017 appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Harvey. The funding provided by this bill is designated as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits and other budget enforcement rules. The bill provides FY2017 appropriations to: the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Legal Services Corporation, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the General Services Administration, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill also specifies several requirements and restrictions for the use of funds provided by this bill.

Farm to School Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017

Farm to School Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to reauthorize the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Farm to School Program through FY2022 and modify the program. The program currently provides grants and technical assistance to schools, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities to improve access to local foods in schools. The bill makes schools participating in the Summer Food Service Program for children, the early care and afterschool portions of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the School Breakfast Program eligible to participate in the program. It also permits USDA to provide land-grant colleges and universities with grants, research, and technical assistance under the program. The purposes for grants awarded under the program are expanded to include agricultural literacy and nutrition education. The bill requires USDA to provide technical assistance, research, and information to increase awareness of and participation in farm to school programs among agricultural producers. In awarding grants, USDA must seek to improve local food procurement and distribution options for agricultural producers and eligible schools. USDA is permitted to fund projects that include innovative approaches to aggregation, processing, transportation, and distribution. The bill establishes new limitations on the amount and duration of grants. The bill also establishes reporting requirements and limits funds that may be used for administrative costs.

Farm to School Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 6 September 2017

Farm to School Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to reauthorize the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Farm to School Program through FY2023 and modify the program. The program currently provides grants and technical assistance to schools, state and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities to improve access to local foods in schools. The bill makes schools participating in the Summer Food Service Program for children, the early care and afterschool portions of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the School Breakfast Program eligible to participate in the program. It also permits USDA to provide land-grant colleges and universities with grants, research, and technical assistance under the program. The purposes for grants awarded under the program are expanded to include agricultural literacy and nutrition education. The bill requires USDA to provide technical assistance, research, and information to increase awareness of and participation in farm to school programs among agricultural producers. In awarding grants, USDA must seek to improve local food procurement and distribution options for agricultural producers and eligible schools. USDA is permitted to fund projects that include innovative approaches to aggregation, processing, transportation, and distribution. The bill establishes new limitations on the amount and duration of grants. The bill also establishes reporting requirements and limits funds that may be used for administrative costs.

Stephen Alexander Vaden, of Tennessee, to be General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture, vice Jeffrey Michael Prieto.

United States · United States Senate · 5 September 2017

William Northey, of Iowa, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, vice Michael T. Scuse.

United States · United States Senate · 5 September 2017

Gregory Ibach, of Nebraska, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, vice Edward M. Avalos, resigned.

United States · United States Senate · 5 September 2017

Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance Act

United States · United States Congress · 29 August 2017

Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance Act This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to extend the Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas program through FY2023. (The program provides technical information and educational resources about sustainable agriculture to farmers, information providers, agriculture-related businesses, and community food organizations across the United States. It is operated by a nonprofit organization and is primarily funded through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Agriculture.)

Fair CRP Payments Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2017

Fair CRP Payments Act This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985, with respect to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), to require the Department of Agriculture to conduct surveys of rental rates on an annual basis, instead of the existing requirement to conduct the surveys at least once every other year. (The surveys are a factor used to determine CRP rental payments and include per acre estimates of county average market dryland and irrigated cash rental rates for cropland and pastureland in all counties or equivalent subdivisions within each state that have 20,000 acres or more of cropland and pastureland.)

Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2017

Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a precision conservation pilot program to provide grants to up to 10 states to assist producers with projects that: increase nutrient retention in soil, reduce soil erosion, reduce nutrient loss from soil, improve soil health, and improve water quality. States that receive grants under the program must use the funds only to: educate and recruit agricultural producers to participate in the program, provide technical and financial assistance to producers that elect to participate in the program, monitor and analyze the effectiveness of precision conservation plans, and encourage the use of precision agriculture technology to achieve conservation benefits. States that receive grants must submit to USDA and producers reports regarding the effectiveness of the conservation plans and grants. USDA must use the data to establish and maintain a publicly available soil nutrient retention database.

Building America's Trust Act

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017

Building America's Trust Act This bill provides for strengthening the barriers along the U.S. land and maritime borders to deter illegal activity, including through U.S. Border Patrol and law enforcement enhancements and personnel increases and National Guard use. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall: (1) establish a National Border Security Advisory Committee; (2) submit a southern border threat analysis; (3) implement the Border Security Deployment Program; (4) establish a biometric exit data system; (5) reestablish the Secure Communities program immigration enforcement program; (6) expand criminal alien repatriation programs; and (7) increase visa security at high-risk posts. The Department of Agriculture may carry out livestock or plant disease prevention/eradication operations. The bill: (1) makes it a crime to unlawfully hinder immigration, border, and customs controls; (2) requires increases in immigration and law enforcement personnel and district judgeships; (3) authorizes appropriations for specified immigration purposes; and (4) requires electronic passport screening and biometric matching at airports of entry. Operation Stonegarden is established as a DHS program to provide border security grants. The Department of Justice shall provide grants for identification of victims of cross-border human smuggling. The bill revises provisions regarding: (1) apprehension and detention of aliens; (2) nonimmigrant admissions; (3) criminal alien detention and removal; (4) parole entry of aliens; (5) sanctuary jurisdictions; (6) unaccompanied alien children; (7) human trafficking, drug trafficking, criminal organizations, and money laundering; (8) terrorism and national security; (9) gangs; (10) criminal penalties, including penalties for drug trafficking and crimes committed by illegal aliens; (11) human rights violations; (12) visa/document fraud and other grounds for exclusion; (13) student and exchange visitor verification; and (14) use of immigration-related information. An alien may not be granted any immigrant status or benefits until positive background and security checks are concluded. The Department of State shall deny or revoke the passport of a person affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization.

Capital for Farmers and Ranchers Act

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017

Capital for Farmers and Ranchers Act This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to increase the amount of unpaid debt permitted per borrower under Department of Agriculture farm ownership and operating loans.

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that flowers grown in the United States support the farmers, small businesses, jobs, and economy of the United States, that flower farming is an honorable vocation, and designating July as "American Grown Flower Month".

United States · United States Congress · 3 August 2017

Designates July 2017 as American Grown Flower Month. Recognizes that flowers grown in the United States support farmers, small businesses, jobs, and the economy; are a vital part of the U.S. agricultural industry; and enhance the ability of the people of the United States to celebrate holidays and special occasions. Urges all people of the United States to proactively showcase flowers and greens grown in the United States.

Ted McKinney, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. (New Position)

United States · United States Senate · 2 August 2017

Forest Management Improvement Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

Forest Management Improvement Act of 2017 This bill makes categorical exclusions, from requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to conduct environmental assessment and environmental impact statements, available to the Forest Service to conduct forest management activities on up to 10,000 acres of National Forest System land for each exclusion to: create early seral habitat forests; improve wildlife habitats; commercially thin forest stands on suited timberlands; and salvage trees that are dead and/or dying and were damaged by such events as wind, fire, or construction. For a forest management activity, the Forest Service: in an NEPA-prepared environmental impact statement, shall study, develop, and describe only the activity and the alternative of no action; and in an NEPA-prepared environmental assessment, shall not be required to study, develop, and describe the alternative of no action. The bill makes permanent the authority to designate, at state request, treatment areas in national forests that are experiencing an insect or disease epidemic. The bill revises authorities for watershed restoration and protection services. The Department of Agriculture shall establish a pilot arbitration program under which specified forest management projects challenged in a civil action may be designated for an alternative dispute resolution procedure instead of judicial review.

Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits and grants for activities that provide access to healthy food in food deserts. A food desert must be more than 1 mile away from a grocery store in a metropolitan area or more than 10 miles away outside of a metropolitan area. It must also meet population requirements and have either a poverty rate of at least 20% or a median family income that does not exceed 80% of the median for the state or metropolitan area. For entities that are certified by the Department of the Treasury as special access food providers using specified criteria, the bill allows tax credits for operating a new grocery store or renovating an existing grocery store in a food desert. The bill also authorizes grants for a portion of: (1) the construction costs of building a permanent food bank in a food desert, and (2) the annual operating costs of temporary access merchants (mobile markets, farmers markets, and food banks). Treasury, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), must annually allocate the tax credits and grants to special access food providers. Grants authorized by this bill are not considered gross income for tax purposes. The bill also amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to require USDA to update the Food Access Research Atlas at least annually to account for food retailers that are placed in service during that year.

Southeastern Oregon Development Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

Southeastern Oregon Development Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make grants for projects in Oregon to develop modern and efficient water systems. USDA shall establish an Agricultural Center for Rangeland Excellence in Malheur County, Oregon (the county). The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 is amended to make the rural firefighters and emergency medical service assistance program permanent and require grant amounts to fund the operating expenses of firefighters in rural areas. The Departments of Homeland Security, of Defense, and of the Interior shall establish programs for transferring surplus equipment that can be used in fire fighting. Interior shall establish a program of strategic fuel breaks from which firefighters can operate safely to preserve critical sage grouse habitat and support the nearby ranching community. USDA shall make grants for infrastructure projects for drinking water and wastewater systems and for improvement of broadband or cellular service. The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall study rural air services and infrastructure for Ontario (Oregon) Municipal Airport. DOT shall: make a grant for the construction or improvement of transportation systems facilitating the efficient movement of agricultural and other products through the Treasure Valley Intermodal Transfer Facility in the county; furnish financial assistance for projects that would improve the downtown area of the cities of the county, surrounding communities, and transportation within the cities; and make grants to the state to support Lake Owyhee road transportation improvement projects. The Department of Labor shall make grants for workforce development training activities in the county. USDA shall conduct a study on the need for an economic regional commission in specified counties in Oregon. The bill establishes the Southeastern Oregon Withdrawal Area, comprising 2.065 million acres of specified federal land in the county, which shall be withdrawn from certain public land, mining, and mineral leasing laws.

A bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide that certain students who are family caregivers are eligible to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to make certain students who are informal providers of in-home and community care to elderly or disabled members of the household eligible to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program).

SNAP Standard Medical Expense Deduction Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

SNAP Standard Medical Expense Deduction Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow households containing an elderly or disabled member to use a standard medical expense deduction for calculating income to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits. If the amount of actual costs of allowable medical expenses incurred by the elderly or disabled member for a month, exclusive of special diets, is equal to or greater than $35, the standard medical deduction for each month is: (1) $140 for FY2018, and (2) the preceding year's amount with a specified adjustment for inflation for FY2019 and each subsequent year. If the monthly costs are greater than the sum of the standard medical deduction and $35, the household may deduct the actual costs. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) may approve a standard medical deduction that is higher than the amount required by this bill. USDA must submit specified studies and reports to Congress regarding: (1) state performance in enrolling disabled and elderly individuals in SNAP and specified Medicare programs, (2) disability and food insecurity, and (3) the effectiveness of the standard medical deduction.

SAFE Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

John Stringer Rainey Memorial Safeguard American Food Exports Act or the SAFE Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem equine (horses and other members of the equidae family) parts to be an unsafe food additive or animal drug. The bill prohibits the knowing sale or transport of equines or equine parts for human consumption.

Forest Service Flexible Partnerships Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 2 August 2017

Forest Service Flexible Partnerships Act of 2017 This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lease as an administrative site, for consideration that is at least the market value of the site: any facility or improvement that was acquired or is used for the administration of the National Forest System (NFS); any federal land associated with such a facility or improvement that was acquired or is used for the administration of Forest Service activities and underlies or abuts such facility or improvement; or per fiscal year, no more than 10 isolated, undeveloped parcels no larger than 40 acres each. The bill makes the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 applicable to the leasing of administrative sites, subject to an exception. Cash consideration for an administrative site shall be available to USDA to pay: necessary and incidental costs incurred in acquiring, improving, maintaining, reconstructing, or constructing a facility or improvement for the NFS and the lease of such site; and reasonable commissions or fees for brokerage services obtained regarding the lease.

Homegrown Organic Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2017

Homegrown Organic Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to modify several Department of Agriculture conservation programs to authorize additional assistance for farmers who are transitioning to organic farming. The bill modifies the Conservation Reserve Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

AIRWAVES Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2017

Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum Act or the AIRWAVES Act This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to complete auctions during each of the next three calendar years that will grant new broadcast licenses for specified frequency spectrum bands. The FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration are directed to identify frequencies in specified spectrum bands that may be utilized for: (1) non-federal unlicensed use; and (2) commercial licensed use. The FCC must allocate 10% of proceeds from each of the spectrum band auctions specified in the bill to expand wireless infrastructure in rural areas that are underserved or unserved. The FCC shall conduct a study on how unlicensed frequency spectrum bands can be utilized for: (1) the provision of healthcare in rural areas, (2) distance learning, and (3) facilitating innovations in agriculture.

Food Recovery Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2017

Food Recovery Act of 2017 This bill provides funding and establishes requirements to reduce food waste and standardize date labeling on food. The bill authorizes grants or loans for: raising awareness about wasted food and food recovery efforts to reduce the quantity of wasted food; reducing food waste at schools and farms; and reducing food waste in accordance with the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Environmental Protection Agency, including for a state organic waste reduction plan, food waste management infrastructure, and certain composting or anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects. The bill provides funds for: (1) state storage and distribution costs under the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and (2) national media campaigns to decrease food waste. The bill also: establishes a Food Recovery Liaison within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifies that composting is eligible for support under USDA's conservation programs, expands the liability protections for the donation of food, and requires companies that receive federal food service contracts to donate surplus food to nonprofit organizations that assist food-insecure people. The bill requires date labels on food packaging to include the phrases "best if used by" to indicate food quality and "use by" to warn of food that may be unsafe to eat after a specified date. Labelers may include a quality date on packaging, but must include a safety date on ready-to-eat products. No one may prohibit the sale, donation, or use of a product based on passage of the quality date of the product.

A bill to amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to improve access to grants and loans for evidence-based substance use disorder treatment services in rural areas, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2017

This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, with respect to the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize loans and grants for substance use disorder treatment services. (Under current law, the program provides funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.) The bill requires USDA to prioritize grants and loans for entities: (1) to develop facilities to provide substance use disorder (including opioid substance use disorder) prevention, treatment, or recovery services; and (2) that employ staff with appropriate expertise and training to identify and treat individuals with substance use disorders. An entity that receives funds pursuant to this bill may use the funds for the development of telemedicine facilities and systems to provide telemedicine for substance use disorder treatment.

A bill to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to improve access to grants and loans for evidence-based substance use disorder treatment services in rural areas, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2017

This bill amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to require the Department of Agriculture to make funding available for substance use disorder treatment services from appropriations made for facilities and systems to provide telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas.

B-CROP Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 July 2017

Broadband Connections for Rural Opportunities Program Act or the B-CROP Act This bill amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to include grants in the Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides loans and loan guarantees for broadband telecommunications services in rural areas. In making grants, loans, or loan guarantees under the program, USDA must give the highest priority to applicants that offer to provide broadband service to the greatest proportion of unserved rural households or rural households that do not have the minimum acceptable level of residential broadband service. USDA must then give priority to projects to serve rural communities that: have fewer than 10,000 permanent residents, are experiencing out-migration, have a high percentage of low-income residents, and are isolated from other significant population centers. A grant may not exceed 50% of the development cost of the project. USDA may increase the limit to 75% for projects that serve a remote or low-income area that does not have access to broadband service from any provider. USDA must: (1) provide technical assistance and training to entities that are eligible for the loans, loan guarantees, or grants; and (2) use a specified portion of the appropriations provided for the program for this purpose. The bill sets forth reporting requirements for recipients of the grants, loans, or loan guarantees.

National Flood Research and Education Center Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

National Flood Research and Education Center Act This bill establishes within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a National Flood Research and Education Center (NFREC), which shall consist of: (1) an office within NOAA; (2) one public university or college selected by the NOAA Administrator, which shall serve as the lead partner institution with NOAA; and (3) a consortium of other public universities or colleges selected by the Administrator and such lead partner institution based on their ability to fulfill specific purposes of NFREC. The purposes of NFREC are listed, including to plan, conduct, and arrange for competent public research, data, education, and recommendations within the following categories as they relate to flooding issues nationwide, regionally, and locally: (1) physical sciences, social science, and economic, policy, and risk analysis; (2) risk management; and (3) improvement of existing, and testing of new, risk assessment tools and methods, monitoring and predicting strategies and techniques, and flood management and prevention strategies and techniques. The bill sets forth criteria for selection of a lead partner institution and consortium members. NFREC must: (1) partner with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Army Corps of Engineers; (2) collaborate on federal flood-related issues with specified federal agencies; and (3) collaborate and share best practices on regional, state, and locally specific flooding and flood-related issues with state and local governments and with watershed, agriculture, environmental, and business and development organizations. Review and reporting requirements are set forth. NFREC must establish and make information available on a website. NFREC may provide technical assistance and demonstration project grant assistance to state and local governments on a competitive basis to assist with implementing recommendations of NFREC or testing new or improved strategies or technologies.

Rural Economic Vitalization Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Rural Economic Vitalization Act This bill authorizes the voluntary waiver of permits or leases for grazing on federal lands managed by the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior. If a permit or lease is waived by a permittee or lessee, the appropriate department must: accept and terminate the permit or lease, refrain from issuing any new grazing permit or lease within the grazing allotment covered by the permit or lease, and ensure a permanent end to livestock grazing on the allotment covered by the permit or lease. If an allotment covered by a waiver is also covered by another permit or lease that is not waived, the department must reduce the level of commercial livestock grazing on the allotment to reflect the waiver. The departments must not accept more than 100 grazing permits and leases per year, in the aggregate, under this authority.

Donations in Rough Years (DRY) Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Donations in Rough Years (DRY) Act This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985, with respect to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), to permit hay that is harvested in the course of an activity that is authorized under CRP and complies with the program's requirements to be donated to the owners or operators of certain farms or ranches that are in disaster areas or are experiencing a drought. (CRP provides payments to farmers who agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality.) The hay may be donated to the owner or operator of a farm or ranch that is located in: (1) the state in which the hay is harvested, and (2) a county that is either experiencing a drought with a specified intensity or with respect to which the President has issued a declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act that a major disaster exists due to a fire.

Protect Interstate Commerce Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Protect Interstate Commerce Act This bill prohibits a state or local government from imposing a standard or condition on the production or manufacture of agricultural products sold or offered for sale in interstate commerce if: (1) the production or manufacture occurs in another state, and (2) the standard or condition adds to standards or conditions applicable under federal law and the laws of the state or locality in which the production or manufacture occurs.

To authorize the purchase of a small parcel of Natural Resources Conservation Service property in Riverside, California, by the Riverside Corona Resource Conservation District, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to sell and quitclaim all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to a parcel of real property, including improvements, located at 4500 Glenwood Drive in Riverside, California, consisting of approximately 8.75 acres and administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to the Riverside Corona Resource Conservation District.

Federal Land Freedom Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Federal Land Freedom Act This bill authorizes a state with an oil and gas leasing program to take responsibility from the federal government for leasing and regulating the exploration and development of oil, gas, and other forms of energy on federal land in the state. A state must submit to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture a regulatory program which demonstrates that it has the capability to take responsibility from the federal government, including that it has a state law which provides sanctions for violations of state laws, regulations, or conditions of permits concerning oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities.

Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017 This bill limits the regulation of industrial hemp and research hemp under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Specifically, the bill excludes industrial hemp and research hemp from the definition of marijuana under the CSA. The Drug Enforcement Administration may conduct administrative inspections of places where industrial hemp or research hemp is produced, stored, distributed, or used.

South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make grants to states for the purpose of promoting awareness of the increasing prevalence of heart disease, including its relationship to type 2 diabetes, in South Asian communities in the United States. For the purpose of conducting research and related activities with respect to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health-related ailments among South Asian communities in the United States, the National Institutes of Health, in coordination with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: (1) may conduct or support, through funding opportunity announcements, grants, or cooperative agreements, basic, clinical, and translational research; and (2) may award grants and cooperative agreements to public or nonprofit private entities. The bill amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize the Department of Agriculture to award research and extension grants for developing and disseminating science-based tools and strategies to promote heart healthy nutrition among South Asian communities in the United States. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that medical schools in the United States that are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education should include as part of their nutrition curriculum a focus on South Asian diet and ways to achieve optimal nutrition in South Asian communities.

Results Through Innovation Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Results Through Innovation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require the Department of Agriculture to establish and carry out a program that provides grants on a competitive basis to states to carry out three-year projects to provide targeted employment and training services for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) beneficiaries or hard-to-serve populations such as homeless and recently incarcerated individuals.

Addiction Recovery for Rural Communities Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

Addiction Recovery for Rural Communities Act This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide financial assistance for the construction of facilities and systems in rural areas for substance-use disorder services. In selecting recipients of loans and grants to establish community facilities, USDA must give priority to developers of facilities that: (1) provide substance use disorder prevention, treatment, or recovery services; and (2) employ staff with expertise and training in identifying and treating individuals with substance-use disorders. In providing grants to establish individual and family health education programs, USDA must give priority to entities intending to use the funds for substance-use disorder education, treatment, and prevention.

WIC Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2017

WIC Improvement Act This bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to permit certain multivitamin dietary supplements to be purchased under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. The bill applies to multivitamin dietary supplements that are: (1) labeled in accordance with specified federal regulations; and (2) increase the availability of low-cost, high nutrient alternatives for the population served by WIC.