Farmers Market and Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2022
This bill provides for increased support for farmers' markets.
The bill extends through FY2028, expands eligibility for, and increases benefits under the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
The bill extends through FY2025 and increases benefits under the Women, Infants, and Children Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must make loans, loan guarantees, and grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for the construction of new farmers markets or the improvement or rehabilitation of existing farmers markets.
Additionally, the bill requires USDA to establish a pilot grant program in which food banks may voluntarily contract with their local farmers for them to grow produce for food bank programs to promote local procurement of produce.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8707 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8707
To provide increased financial assistance for farmers markets and
farmers' market nutrition programs, to increase local agricultural
production through food bank in-house production and local farmer
contracting, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 12, 2022
Ms. Kaptur (for herself, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr.
Ryan, and Ms. Brown of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the
Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide increased financial assistance for farmers markets and
farmers' market nutrition programs, to increase local agricultural
production through food bank in-house production and local farmer
contracting, 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 ``Farmers Market and Food Bank Local
Revitalization Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Food insecurity, epidemic levels of obesity,
hypertension, diabetes, and youth osteoporosis are caused by
improper nutrition yielded by lack of nutritious, reliable, and
locally available healthy food options.
(2) The American Diabetes Association estimated a 41-
percent increase in costs of diagnosed diabetes from 2007
($174,000,000,000) to 2012 ($245,000,000,000) with most of
these costs (62 percent) coming from senior health programs
such as Medicare and Medicaid.
(3) Since sequestration in 2008, there has been no funding
increase for the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
(4) From 2008 to 2020, the moderate at home food cost for a
family of 2 (aged 51-70 years old) increased by an average of
$70 a month. Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program funding
has not kept pace with such inflation.
(5) According to the Department of Agriculture, Seniors
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program has a total program funding
backlog of $20,065,021 and a season benefit level backlog of
$16,120,741 across all participating States, territories, and
Native American Tribes.
(6) Roughly 1 in 10 United States senior citizens (about
5,146,000) are forced to live well below the Federal poverty
level, and the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program is
only able to reach about 725,000 due to inadequate funding.
(7) Since sequestration in 2008, funding for farmers'
market nutrition programs has fallen by over $6,000,000 and
never rebounded.
(8) The farmers' market nutrition program is a vital
safeguard for the nearly 1 in 7 children who will be born into
poverty in the United States and will be at nutritional risk.
(9) According to the Department of Agriculture, the
farmers' market nutrition program has a total program and
seasonal benefit funding backlog of $6,198,432 across all
participating States, territories, and Native American Tribes.
(10) In the United States, food banks will provide meals to
1 in 7 people.
(11) Many food banks share special relationships with local
farmers who often donate their crops to food banks. The
partnership allows for more efficient and sustainable
procurement for food banks.
(12) Assisting food banks to grow their own food will aid
local procurement and allow food banks to serve as farming
resources to their communities, especially to those who are
food insecure.
(13) The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 specifically
required looking at ways to incorporate local goods to reduce
food waste.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to increase and enhance funding for farmers' market
nutrition programs to support seniors, food insecure families,
and to increase market capacity for local farmers;
(2) to provide funding assistance for the expansion and
construction of farmers markets in both rural and urban food
desert areas; and
(3) to increase local food production through partnership
with food banks by local farmer contracting and funding
assistance to food banks to grow necessary produce through
traditional or controlled environment agricultural farming.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS TO EXPAND
PARTICIPATION IN THE SENIORS FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION
PROGRAM.
(a) Increased Authorization of Appropriations.--To expand and
address season benefit level and total backlogs of the Seniors Farmers'
Market Nutrition Program, there is authorized to be appropriated--
(1) for fiscal year 2022, an increase to $60,000,000;
(2) for fiscal year 2023, an increase to $70,000,000; and
(3) for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2028, and
increase to $100,000,000.
(b) Benefit Enhancement.--For the purpose of expanding access to
the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, funds appropriated under
subsection (a) shall be used for the following purposes:
(1) Program eligibility income limit shall increase to 200
percent of the Federal poverty guideline.
(2) The minimum individual benefit shall be increased to
$35.
(3) The maximum individual benefit shall be increased to
$80.
SEC. 4. MINIMUM INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT INCREASE UNDER WIC FARMERS' MARKET
NUTRITION PROGRAM.
Section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1786(m)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``paragraph (10)'' both places it appears
and inserting ``paragraph (9)'';
(2) in paragraph (5)(C)--
(A) by striking ``$10'' and inserting ``$35''; and
(B) by striking ``$30'' and inserting ``$60''; and
(3) in paragraph (9)(A), by striking ``2015'' and inserting
``2025''.
SEC. 5. INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR FARMERS MARKETS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall make loans,
loan guarantees, and grants to public agencies and nonprofit
organizations for--
(1) the construction of new farmers markets; or
(2) the improvement or rehabilitation of existing farmers
markets, including by adding or improving payment technologies
used in such farmers markets.
(b) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a loan, loan guarantee,
or grant under subsection (a) with respect to a farmers market the
public agency or nonprofit organization involved shall--
(1) demonstrate financial need as determined by the
Secretary; and
(2) commit to reserving at least 50 percent of the floor
area of the farmers market for the sale of products that are
produced locally, as determined by the Secretary, by farmers,
ranchers, or aquaculture, mariculture, or fisheries operators,
or by associations of farmers, ranchers, or such operators.
(c) Cost Sharing.--
(1) Grants.--The amount of a grant under this section shall
not exceed 25 percent of the cost of the activity for which the
grant is made.
(2) Maximum amount.--The combined amount of a grant made
and loan made or guaranteed under this section shall not exceed
80 percent of the cost of the activity for which the grant or
loan is made or guaranteed.
(d) Interest Rate.--
(1) In general.--A loan made by the Secretary under
subsection (a) shall bear interest at the rate equivalent to
the rate of interest charged on Treasury securities of
comparable maturity on the date the loan is approved.
(2) Duration.--The interest rate referred to in paragraph
(1) with respect to a loan referred to in such paragraph shall
remain in effect for the term of the loan.
(e) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the
Secretary shall make available to carry out this section $50,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2027.
SEC. 6. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FOOD BANKS AND LOCAL FARMER CONTRACTING FOR
LOCAL PROCUREMENT.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish a
pilot grant program in which food banks may voluntarily contract with
their local farmers for them to grow produce for food bank programs to
promote local procurement of produce. Food banks in economically
depressed or food dessert areas shall be given priority to receive
grants under this section.
(b) Methods.--Under contracts made by food banks with grants
received under subsection (a), local farmers may grow produce through
traditional or controlled environmental agriculture farming.
(c) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the
Secretary shall make available to carry out this section $250,000 for
the fiscal years of 2022 and 2023.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR SENIORS 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 by striking ``2023'' and inserting
``2028''.
SEC. 8. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
Not later than 180 days after effective date of this Act, the
Secretary of Agriculture shall submit a report to the Congress that
contains a review of the effect of this Act on local procurement of
food, local farmers, and the communities involved.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect 120 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E837)
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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