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351 records in US in 2023
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
American Meat Industry Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits federal funds from being used to support, directly or indirectly, the production, advancement, or enhancement of lab-grown meat (i.e., meat sourced from the cells of animals and artificially produced in a laboratory).
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Honey Identification Verification and Enforcement Act or the HIVE Act This bill directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish a standard of identity for honey based on U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. (USP is an independent, scientific nonprofit organization whose work includes developing and publishing standards for food ingredients.) The FDA must submit a report to Congress on enforcement actions taken based on honey that is adulterated or misbranded. (A food is deemed misbranded and may not be sold if it does not meet the FDA-established definition and standard of identity.) Further, the bill modifies the Department of Agriculture country-of-origin labeling requirements for honey to require that the countries-of-origin be listed in order of predominance. The bill also establishes a requirement for including a certificate, mark, or statement on the label indicating that the honey meets the standard of identify established under this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Feeding Children Not Fraudsters Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to audit state agencies for known fraud (i.e., child nutrition program fraud for which any person is investigated, charged, or convicted by the Department of Justice, USDA, or a state official). Under the bill, a state agency is one that serves a local agency, institution, or service institution administering or operating a child nutrition program under which known fraud was committed. Specifically, USDA must annually audit a state agency for the period of January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2022, for known fraud, including fraud carried out under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Summer Food Service Program, and child nutrition COVID–19 waivers. The audit must examine specific areas, including (1) oversight measures by a state agency; (2) hearings conducted by a state agency after being made aware of such fraud; and (3) overpayments, improper payments, or fraudulent uses of funds by a local agency, institution, or service institution served by a state agency. USDA must submit a report to Congress on the audits. A state agency that is being audited must fully cooperate with an audit, including by providing any requested information, in order to participate in or operate any child nutrition program. Further, USDA and state agencies must retain certain records related to fraud.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Stop China’s Continuous Purchase of Land Act or the Stop CCP Land Act This bill requires states that receive certain federal program funds to restrict the purchase of agricultural land by a covered foreign country. Covered foreign country means a country included in Department of State regulations as subject to certain prohibitions (i.e., Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela), as well as Russia. Specifically, a state may not receive funds for certain programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (e.g., certain energy efficiency and conservation programs) unless that state has a law prohibiting a covered foreign country (or persons acting on behalf of the country) from purchasing agricultural land in the state. Further, a state must require that a person from a covered foreign country that holds agricultural land in the state prior to the state law's enactment submit an annual report to the state on the agricultural holdings. The Department of Agriculture must submit a report to Congress on how the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 should be updated to ensure accurate documentation and monitoring of foreign investment in agricultural land. The Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that includes (1) an assessment of this bill's impact on national security, and (2) any measures that can be taken to better secure U.S. real estate from foreign manipulation.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an Office of Self-Governance to oversee self-determination contracts and self-governance compact agreements between USDA and tribal organizations. The Office of Self-Governance must also submit a report to Congress. This publicly available report must include a description of tribal self-governance implementation with respect to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and forestry activities.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Strengthening Telehealth and Education for Rural Communities Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and modifies the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program that is administered by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program supports telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas through telecommunications, computer networks, and other advanced technology by students, teachers, medical professionals, and residents of rural areas. The bill expands the scope of the program to specifically allow the use of program funds for operational expenses associated with telemedicine programs. It also allows the USDA to waive matching fund requirements in certain circumstances and requires USDA to set aside a specific amount of funding allotments for programs that focus on substance use disorder treatment or mental health services.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Conservation Reserve Program Flexibility Act of 2023 or CRP Flexibility Act of 2023 This bill modifies the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to permit emergency haying during the primary nesting season to respond to drought or other emergencies. (Under current law, emergency haying is only permitted outside of the primary nesting season.) Under CRP, the Department of Agriculture provides annual payments to agricultural producers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production and install resource-conserving practices.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Ensuring Fee-Free Benefit Transactions Act of 2023 This bill makes permanent the prohibition on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit transaction fees. The current prohibition expires at the end of FY2023. The bill also specifies that the prohibition applies to states (and any agent, contractor, or subcontractor of a state who facilitates the provision of SNAP benefits) for costs for fraud prevention tools, coverage of infrastructure costs, and other costs associated with updating the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) processing infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2023 This bill expands access to water resources for Native communities (i.e., Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian communities). Specifically, the bill allows the Department of Agriculture to make or insure loans and make grants to eligible entities (e.g., Native communities) for technical assistance to develop, use, and control water. Additionally, the bill allows the Indian Health Service to (1) provide and maintain essential sanitation facilities to community structures (e.g., schools, hospitals, and tribal offices), (2) provide technical assistance, and (3) provide financial assistance to operate and maintain water facilities that serve Native communities.The bill also increases the authorization of appropriations for the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program through FY2028.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act This bill expands eligibility and flexibility under the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). (TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters.) The bill expands eligibility to include growers who produce biennial crops. The current program is limited to producers of annual crops. The bill also expands eligibility to include growers who experience tree mortality that exceeds normal mortality. Currently, mortality must exceed 15%. Further, the bill exempts growers who derive at least 75% of their average adjusted gross income from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities from a limit on adjusted gross income. (Under current law, the limit prohibits a grower with an average adjusted gross income that exceeds $900,000 from being eligible for TAP.) A grower may carry out any replacement and rehabilitation activities within 12 months of approval of the application for assistance or at such time as is necessary to ensure tree survival. Further, a grower may replant using an alternative (1) variety, (2) stand density, and (3) location than was used prior to the loss. Finally, the FSA must approve or deny an application (and notify the applicant) within 120 days of receiving the application.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Tribal Access to Clean Water Act of 2023 This bill expands access to water resources for Native communities (i.e., Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian communities). Specifically, the bill allows the Department of Agriculture to make or insure loans and make grants to eligible entities (e.g., Native communities) for technical assistance to develop, use, and control water. Additionally, the bill allows the Indian Health Service to (1) provide and maintain essential sanitation facilities to community structures (e.g., schools, hospitals, and tribal offices), (2) provide technical assistance, and (3) provide financial assistance to operate and maintain water facilities that serve Native communities. The bill also increases the authorization of appropriations for the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program through FY2028.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Investing in Rural America Act This bill allows Farm Credit System (FCS) institutions to provide financing and technical assistance for essential community facility projects as part of the Department of Agriculture's Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program. (This program provides funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas.) The FCS financing and technical assistance may be provided in order to make capital available to develop, build, maintain, improve, or provide other support for essential community facilities in rural communities (e.g., certain facilities that provide healthcare, community support, public safety, educational, or utility services). Under the bill, the financing provided by an FCS institution may not exceed 15% of the institution’s total assets unless the FCS institution offers at least one non-FCS lending institution an interest in the financing under reasonable terms and conditions acceptable to the borrower. The FCS institution must also report the offer to the Farm Credit Administration (FCA). The FCA must submit an annual report to Congress on the activities undertaken by FCS institutions under this bill, including through the partnerships between FCS institutions and other lending institutions. The FCA must post the report on the agency's website.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Delivering for Rural Seniors Act of 2023 This bill directs the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to award competitive grants to state agencies under a home delivery pilot program for participants in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). (The CSFP works to improve the health of low-income persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious Department of Agriculture foods.) Under the pilot program, a state agency must distribute grant funds to an eligible entity (i.e., a local agency or subdistributing agency) to operate projects that facilitate home delivery of commodities to CSFP participants. Grant funds may be used for costs associated with transportation and distribution of commodities to CSFP participants, staffing required to operate home delivery services, and home delivery outreach to CSFP participants or potential participants. A state agency must prioritize eligible entities that serve CSFP participants who reside in rural areas. A state agency must also submit an annual report to FNS about the project, including best practices regarding the use of home delivery to improve the effectiveness of the CSFP.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Bring Animals Relief and Kibble Act of 2023 or the BARK Act of 2023 This bill provides civil and criminal liability protections for the donation of pet food and pet supplies under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. (The act shields persons that donate and distribute food to nonprofit organizations from liability for injuries caused by those donated products, with exceptions.) Specifically, the bill limits liability for persons or gleaners arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of food or pet supplies that are donated in good faith by the person or gleaner to a nonprofit organization, state, or local government for direct distribution to pets, service animals, or emotional support animals. Gleaner means a person who harvests for free distribution to the needy, or for donation to a nonprofit organization, an agricultural crop that has been donated by the owner. Further, the bill limits liability for a nonprofit organization, state, or local government arising from donated items received from a person or gleaner in good faith for direct distribution to pets, service animals, or emotional support animals. The bill also specifies that the existing exception that permits a person, gleaner, or nonprofit organization to be held liable for acts or omissions that constitute gross negligence or intentional misconduct applies to the liability protections established by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Farmland Security Act of 2023 This bill authorizes increased civil penalties for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) and increases Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight and research into foreign investment in agricultural land. (AFIDA and the regulations that implemented the act require foreign investors who acquire, transfer, or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report such holdings and transactions to USDA.) In general, the bill allows USDA to determine an appropriate civil penalty amount for an AFIDA violation by removing the cap that currently prohibits the civil penalty from exceeding 25% of the fair market value of the interest in the land. The bill provides an exception for a shell corporation (i.e., a corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company, trust, or estate that has no or nominal operations). An AFIDA civil penalty for a foreign-owned shell corporation must be 100% of the fair market value of the interest in the agricultural land associated with the violation. The penalty does not apply if the shell corporation remedies a defective filing or failure to file within 60 days of USDA providing notice. USDA must conduct annual compliance audits of at least 10% of the reports. Further, USDA must provide state and county-level personnel annual training in identifying agricultural land for which a report must be submitted. USDA must also annually conduct research and submit a report to Congress on foreign investment in agricultural land, including trends in the purchase of U.S. agricultural land by foreign-owned shell corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Food and Agriculture Industry Cyberspace Support Act This bill requires the establishment of a clearinghouse for food and agriculture cyberspace resources and the development of related best practices recommendations. Specifically, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must establish a publicly available clearinghouse that contains current food and agriculture industry-focused cybersecurity resources. Further, the NTIA must develop voluntary cybersecurity recommendations relating to the development, maintenance, and operation of the food and agriculture industry. The recommendations must be based on a consolidation of public and private sector best practices and be included in the NTIA clearinghouse. The recommendations must also include, to the greatest extent practicable, materials that address (1) risk-based, cybersecurity-informed engineering; (2) planning for retention or recovery of positive control of systems in the event of a cybersecurity incident; (3) protection against unauthorized access to critical functions of the industry; and (4) plans for how industry businesses should respond to ransomware attacks. The Government Accountability Office must coordinate with specified federal agencies to conduct a study on actions the federal government has taken or may take to improve cybersecurity in the food and agriculture industry.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a cybersecurity circuit rider program to provide cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water and wastewater systems. The program must be structured similarly to the USDA Circuit Rider Program. (Under this program, USDA provides technical assistance to rural water systems that serve areas with populations of 10,000 or fewer people and are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial, or managerial issues.) Specifically, the cybersecurity circuit rider program must provide technical assistance to rural water or wastewater systems to provide rapid assessments of the system's current ability or inability to respond to cybersecurity threats and protect cyber infrastructure, develop reasonable protocols to enhance cybersecurity protection, provide assistance to address inadequate cyber protection plans, and document a system's current state of water supply cyber protection.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Bring Animals Relief and Kibble Act of 2023 or the BARK Act of 2023 This bill provides civil and criminal liability protections for the donation of pet food and pet supplies under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. (The act shields persons that donate and distribute food to nonprofit organizations from liability for injuries caused by those donated products, with exceptions.) Specifically, the bill limits liability for persons or gleaners arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of food or pet supplies that are donated in good faith by the person or gleaner to a nonprofit organization, state, or local government for direct distribution to pets, service animals, or emotional support animals. Gleaner means a person who harvests for free distribution to the needy, or for donation to a nonprofit organization, an agricultural crop that has been donated by the owner. Further, the bill limits liability for a nonprofit organization, state, or local government arising from donated items received from a person or gleaner in good faith for direct distribution to pets, service animals, or emotional support animals. The bill also specifies that the existing exception that permits a person, gleaner, or nonprofit organization to be held liable for acts or omissions that constitute gross negligence or intentional misconduct applies to the liability protections established by this bill. Further, the bill expands provisions that protect a person who allows the collection or gleaning of donations on their property from liability arising from certain injuries or deaths to include donations for distribution to pets, service animals, or emotional support animals.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study a federal research agenda to advance the understanding of food animal microbiomes (including cattle, small ruminants, poultry, and aquaculture species). The term microbiome generally refers to a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment The National Academies must submit a report to Congress on the study, including recommendations to advance the federal research agenda on food animal microbiomes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program within the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the bill, USDA must establish and maintain (directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement) a program to help eligible hospital facilities in rural areas with a population of 50,000 inhabitants or less. The program must provide tailored technical assistance and training to hospital facilities to identify development needs for maintaining essential health care services and support action plans for financial, operational, and quality improvement projects to meet these needs. Development needs include (1) constructing, expanding, and modernizing health care facilities; (2) increasing telehealth capabilities; and (3) acquiring or upgrading health care information systems (e.g., electronic health records). The program must also provide technical assistance and training to help hospital facilities to better manage their financial and business strategies and identify, and apply for assistance from, USDA loan and grant programs. In selecting eligible hospital facilities to participate in the program, USDA must give priority to borrowers and grantees of certain USDA rural assistance programs. USDA must also submit an annual report to Congress on the progress and results of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
This bill directs the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a grant program within its Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program for eligible institutions to develop and carry out agriculture workforce training programs. Eligible institutions include U.S. land-grant universities, non-land-grant colleges of agriculture, junior or community colleges with agriculture programs, and area career and technical education schools with agriculture programs. The grants must be used to develop and carry out programs to (1) promote the growth of the agriculture industry, (2) foster competitiveness within the industry, and (3) improve the training and retention of workers in the industry. An agriculture workforce training program is a program developed by an eligible institution in collaboration with a targeted industry partner through which the industry partner provides training to enrolled students. This may include training through internships, apprenticeships, experience-based curricula, and educational programs and workshops. The program must be implemented by January 31, 2024.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act This bill provides statutory authority for and expands the Farm Service Agency's (FSA's) Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program (the Increasing Land Access Program) for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners. Specifically, the FSA must make competitive grants to, enter into cooperative agreements with, or provide other capital support to eligible entities (e.g., state or local governments, Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education) to provide direct assistance to (1) historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners; (2) farmers, ranchers, and forest owners operating in high-poverty areas; or (3) young and beginning farmers. The bill specifically excludes from assistance any foreign-based or foreign-owned corporation. The direct assistance may include payments to intended beneficiaries to acquire real property (including air rights and water rights), secure clear title on an heirs' property farmland, and improve or remediate land, water, and soil. Eligible entities may also use grants (1) to provide direct assistance to intended beneficiaries in assessing, purchasing, acquiring, or retaining eligible land; (2) for activities designed to support farm establishment and long-term viability; and (3) to provide technical assistance. The FSA must establish a stakeholder committee, and in collaboration with the committee, develop a process for evaluating and selecting applications submitted by eligible entities. The stakeholder committee must include perspectives from a diverse range of stakeholders, including a diverse representation of geographic distribution and farming models, practices, and purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
SNAP Next Step Act of 2023 This bill allows a state agency to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administrative funding for certain Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs. Specifically, a state agency may recruit eligible SNAP participants for, and carry out employment and training activities under, WIOA programs. Participants must (1) be in a household that is receiving SNAP assistance, (2) meet SNAP participation requirements (e.g., work requirements) or be exempt from those requirements, (3) be unemployed or underemployed, (4) be in a family that is not receiving assistance under a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, and (5) not be enrolled in a state program that is identified as an Employment First program by a state workforce agency. Further, a state agency may develop a publicly available employment calculator for the state agency's website to assist SNAP recipients in calculating whether the amount of benefits received would be greater or lesser than income from future employment. Developing the calculator must be considered an administrative cost, which is shared by a state agency and the Department of Agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
Responsible Wildland Fire Recovery Act This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive certain requirements for matching federal funds in fire recovery projects. Specifically, USDA may waive cost-sharing requirements for projects responding to fires resulting from management activities (e.g., controlled burns) conducted by USDA on National Forest System land.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Rural Wellness Act This bill prioritizes behavioral and mental health treatment services under certain rural development grant and loan programs. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 the set-asides and prioritizations for substance use disorder treatment services under the Department of Agriculture's (1) Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, (2) Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, and (3) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program. Under the community facilities program, the bill prioritizes direct loans and grants for the development of behavioral and mental health services facilities, including facilities that provide treatment services. Further, loans and grants provided under the program may be used to develop facilities and systems to provide telehealth services for behavioral and mental health treatment. Under the Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program, the bill prioritizes grants for behavioral and mental health education and treatment. Under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants Program, the bill includes a 17% set-aside for telemedicine projects that provide substance use disorder treatment services (currently a 20% set-aside).
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Pyrolysis Innovation Grants Act This bill requires the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to award grants for pilot projects that have the potential to reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions and that convert and valorize tree nut harvest by-products into higher value biocarbon products. Eligible grantees include, among others, certain colleges or universities and agricultural business entities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
This resolution supports the designation of National Farmworker Awareness Week and commends the significant contributions of farmworkers to our country.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2023 This bill expands and otherwise revises a program to support state procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables under the National School Lunch Program. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the number of participating states from a maximum of 8 to a maximum of 14; and (2) establishes additional requirements with respect to priorities, reporting, and evaluations, including with respect to socially disadvantaged populations and the program's economic impact. The bill provides funds for the program through FY2028.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2023 or the FRIDGE Act of 2023 This bill expands the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program to include funding for technical assistance for infrastructure-related projects to ensure U.S. agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to infrastructure deficiencies in new and developing markets. This Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) program funds projects that address long-term opportunities to reduce foreign import constraints or expand export growth opportunities. Specifically, the bill directs FAS to enter into contracts or other agreements with trade organizations to enhance the infrastructure capabilities (including cold chain capacity and port improvements) in new and developing foreign markets through needs assessments, training, and other technical assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that research and promotion boards support efforts to develop new markets and strengthen existing markets via research, education, and promotion.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Nutrition Administration Assistance Act of 2023 This bill authorizes additional funding through FY2028 to pay administrative costs incurred by states for certain Department of Agriculture programs. The bill specifically authorizes funding for administrative costs incurred by state agencies to carry out the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, states to carry out state plans under the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and states to carry out the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Food Security is National Security Act of 2023 This bill places the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Further, the bill requires CFIUS to consider the potential effects of a proposed or pending transaction on the security of the U.S. food and agriculture systems, including any effects on the availability of, access to, or safety and quality of food.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023 This bill expands the policy of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include reducing food insecurity, increasing nutrition security, and improving diet quality for low-income people in the United States. It also requires additional related reporting by states and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill defines (1) food security as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life; (2) nutrition security as consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being; and (3) diet quality as the extent to which a set of foods aligns with key recommendations of the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Under current requirements, a state agency that provides nutrition education and obesity prevention services under SNAP must submit an annual report to USDA. The bill requires the report to include (1) state actions taken to enhance the food and nutrition security of SNAP participants, and (2) recommendations regarding administering SNAP in a manner that would enhance state food and nutrition security in the state. Further, USDA must submit an annual report to Congress on U.S. food security, nutrition security, and diet quality. USDA must use data collected from retail stores participating in SNAP to submit a report to Congress at least every four years on food sales in SNAP. The report must be made publicly available and include an analysis of the specific food items acquired with SNAP benefits by eligible households.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2023 This bill expands and otherwise revises a program to support state procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables under the National School Lunch Program. Specifically, the bill (1) expands the number of participating states from a maximum of 8 to a maximum of 14; and (2) establishes additional requirements with respect to priorities, reporting, and evaluations, including with respect to socially disadvantaged populations and the program's economic impact. The bill provides funds for the program through FY2028.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Organic Science and Research Investment Act of 2023 This bill expands Department of Agriculture (USDA) support for organic agricultural research. USDA must establish the Coordinating and Expanding Organic Research Initiative for USDA resources dedicated to organic agricultural research. Every five years, the initiative must survey USDA's organic agricultural research and produce a report, including findings and recommendations on expanding research and increasing coordination. USDA must take the findings and recommendations into consideration when preparing USDA's annual budget recommendations. The bill also reauthorizes, and increases funding for, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative through FY2028. Further, eligible grant projects are expanded to include (1) facilitating the identification and adoption of traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices, and (2) identifying how organic agriculture can adapt to and mitigate climate change. The bill also reauthorizes, and extends funding for, USDA's organic production and market data initiatives through FY2028. The Economic Research Service must conduct an economic impact analysis of organic agricultural management conducted in accordance with the National Organic Program. USDA may make competitive grants to support research, education, and extension activities relating to the transition from nonorganic into organic agricultural production systems. Further, the Agricultural Research Service must submit a report to Congress on the resources needed to maintain a proportion of certified organic agricultural land acreage for research so that it is equal to or greater than the organic agriculture industry’s market share of agricultural production.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Land Grant Research Prioritization Act of 2023 This bill includes additional priorities as Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension areas. Under the bill, USDA may award grants for developing and evaluating (1) technologies to mechanize agricultural processes (and may emphasize processes for harvesting specialty crops), and (2) agricultural uses of artificial intelligence (and may emphasize uses for improving specialty crop production). Further, USDA may award grants to support research projects at land-grant colleges and universities to develop and apply methods to manage and eradicate invasive species of plants and animals, including through methods of biocontrol; and aquaculture methods, including through the propagation and rearing of economically and ecologically valuable aquatic and marine species.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2023
ThinkDIFFERENTLY Agriculture Accessibility Act of 2023 This bill expands the eligible programs under the AgrAbility grant program of the Department of Agriculture and reauthorizes the program through FY2033. (AgrAbility provides direct education and assistance to farmers and family members with disabilities.) The bill specifies that grants may be used to initiate, expand, or sustain programs that provide education and support to youth and young adults with disabilities interested in farming and farm-related occupations. The bill also provides that the maximum grant award under the program is $260,000. Current law specifies a minimum grant award amount of $150,000, but does not include a maximum amount.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2023
Agricultural Representation for the United States Territories Act This bill increases agricultural representation for U.S. territories on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board. Specifically, the bill increases the advisory board membership to 16 members (from the current 15). The additional member must represent the agricultural interests of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. The bill also extends the advisory board through FY2028. (The NAREEE Advisory Board advises the Department of Agriculture, land-grant colleges and universities, and Congress on top priorities and policies for food and agricultural research, education, extension, and economics.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2023
Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites From Foreign Adversaries Act This bill expands the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) related to agriculture and land transactions. (CFIUS reviews the national security implications of foreign investment in the United States.) Specifically, the bill requires parties to an elevated risk real estate transaction to submit a mandatory declaration to CFIUS. Generally, this requirement applies to a transaction for a purchase or lease of certain real estate (e.g., real estate that is in close proximity to a sensitive site, such as a military installation or airspace) by a foreign adversary entity (e.g., a foreign person subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign adversary, such as China or Russia). Additionally, the bill creates a presumption that an elevated risk real estate transaction presents a risk to national security that cannot be resolved through any agreement or condition unless CFIUS (1) determines, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the risk to national security of the transaction can be resolved in a manner other than by suspending or prohibiting the transaction; and (2) notifies Congress about this determination and its reasoning. The bill authorizes CFIUS to consider U.S. food security as a factor in its national security reviews. The bill also expands the membership of CFIUS to include the Secretary of Agriculture on all transactions related to the purchase of agriculture land, agriculture biotechnology, and any other transaction related to the agriculture industry in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2023
Hot Foods Act of 2023 This bill expands the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to permit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption.