,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bhbd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #aj1 #bjah ,mr4 ,casey introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh to establish in each ,state a network between agricultural producers and food banks to provide food to the needy and reduce food waste1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,farm to ,food ,bank ,act of #bjah4 #b4 ,farm to food bank program ,the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh is amended by inserting after section #ddje 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #geag7 the following3 #ddjf4 ,farm to food bank program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,agricultural cooperative ,the term agricultural cooperative means a farmers' cooperative described in section #eba7;b77#a7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf4 7#b7 ,agricultural producer ,the term agricultural producer includes-- 7,a7 an agricultural cooperative2 7,b7 a person engaged in farming1 ranching1 or aquaculture2 7,c7 a person engaged in the packing of a food product2 and 7,d7 a person engaged in the minimal processing of a food product1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means an organization described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from taxation under #eja7;a7 of that ,code that-- 7,a7 is-- 7i7 a food bank2 7ii7 an association of food banks2 or 7iii7 a food assistance network2 and 7,b7 has the expertise and infrastructure to source1 aggregate1 transport1 and distribute an eligible product to individuals in need in the ,state or region in which the eligible entity is located4 7#d7 ,eligible product ,the term eligible product means a food product-- 7,a7 that is-- 7i7 a fruit1 vegetable1 grain1 meat 7including poultry and nonamenable species71 egg1 seafood1 legume1 nut1 seed1 or dairy product2 7ii7 grown or produced in the ,united ,states2 7iii7 fresh or minimally processed1 as determined by the ,secretary1 taking into account-- 7,i7 distribution needs2 7,,ii7 food storage availability2 and 7,,iii7 the availability of that food product in a ,state or region2 and 7iv7 safe for consumption2 and 7,b7 7i7 for which there is limited access to a retail market or supply chain2 7ii7 that has been grown or otherwise produced for the purpose of donation2 or 7iii7 that has been gleaned4 7#e7 ,farm to food bank program ,the term farm to food bank program means a program under which agricultural producers donate eligible products to an eligible entity for free distribution to individuals in need4 7#f7 ,glean ,the term glean means to collect unharvested crops from the fields of agricultural producers for ultimate free distribution to individuals in need4 7#g7 ,region ,the term region means a geographic area1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that comprises-- 7,a7 one or more ,states2 or 7,b7 one or more localities within a ,state4 7#h7 ,state ,the term ,state means-- 7,a7 a ,state2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,c7 an ,indian tribe 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772 7,d7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico2 and 7,e7 any other territory or possession of the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,program purposes ,the purposes of this section are-- 7#a7 to reduce food waste through gleaning2 7#b7 to promote food recovery at the agricultural production level2 7#c7 to provide food to individuals in need2 and 7#d7 to build relationships between agricultural producers and eligible entities through the donation of food4 7c7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a program under which the ,secretary shall allocate funding to a ,state to support the establishment and administration of a farm to food bank program in that ,state4 7#b7 ,state opt-in 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall allocate funding to a ,state under paragraph 7#a7 if that ,state-- 7i7 opts in to participate in the program2 and 7ii7 demonstrates an ability to participate in the program1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,state plan ,to receive funding under paragraph 7#a71 a ,state shall submit to the ,secretary an operation and administration plan for a farm to food bank program in that ,state1 which shall include a description of the ,state agency and the eligible entity that the ,state shall partner with under subsection 7d77#b77;,a74 7#c7 ,technical assistance 7,a7 ,in general ,under the program described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance and training relating to establishing and administering a farm to food bank program 7including training relating to safe food handling7 to a ,state or eligible entity on the request of that ,state or eligible entity4 7,b7 ,coordination ,in carrying out subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary shall coordinate with the ,commissioner of ,food and ,drugs as the ,secretary determines is necessary4 7d7 ,state implementation 7#a7 ,in general ,a ,state that receives funds under subsection 7c77#a7-- 7,a7 shall establish and administer a farm to food bank program in the ,state2 and 7,b7 may establish and administer a regional farm to food bank program with a neighboring ,state that receives funds under subsection 7c77#a74 7#b7 ,partnership with eligible entity 7,a7 ,in general ,to carry out paragraph 7#a71 a ,state shall partner with an eligible entity-- 7i7 that is selected under subparagraph 7,b72 and 7ii7 for the purpose of-- 7,i7 jointly establishing and administering a farm to food bank program in the ,state2 or 7,,ii7 overseeing the establishment and administration of a farm to food bank program in the ,state by that eligible entity4 7,b7 ,selection of eligible entity ,a ,state shall select an eligible entity as a partner under subparagraph 7,a7 by-- 7i7 issuing a request for proposals from eligible entities located in the ,state or region1 as applicable2 and 7ii7 selecting the winning eligible entity based on criteria determined by the ,secretary under subparagraph 7,c74 7,c7 ,criteria for selection ,the ,secretary shall establish criteria for the selection of an eligible entity under subparagraph 7,b7 that shall include the requirement that the winning eligible entity-- 7i7 is audited for food safety by an independent third party2 and 7ii7 donates food to individuals in need4 7#c7 ,priority of eligible products ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a77;,a71 a ,state shall prioritize eligible products that are fresh and primarily produced in the ,state or region1 as applicable4 7#d7 ,use of funds 7,a7 ,reimbursement for costs ,in carrying out paragraph 7#a71 a ,state may reimburse an agricultural producer or an eligible entity1 as appropriate1 participating in a farm to food bank program for eligible costs1 as determined by the ,secretary1 including the cost of-- 7i7 producing an eligible product that is a dairy product2 7ii7 harvesting an eligible product2 7iii7 storing an eligible product2 7iv7 minimally processing an eligible product2 7v7 packing an eligible product2 and 7vi7 transporting an eligible product to an eligible entity4 7,b7 ,formula ,a ,state that receives funds under subsection 7c77#a7 shall distribute funds to eligible entities participating in a farm to food bank program in the ,state according to a formula-- 7i7 determined by the ,state in consultation with the eligible entity partnering with that ,state2 or 7ii7 described in section #bea4c7;h7 of title #g1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on the date of enactment of this section74 7e7 ,funding 7#a7 ,allocation of funds ,in carrying out subsection 7c77#a71 the ,secretary shall allocate funding to each ,state-- 7,a7 according to the formula described in section #bea4c7;h7 of title #g1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on the date of enactment of this section72 and 7,b7 on a #b-year basis4 7#b7 ,administrative funds ,of the funding allocated to each ,state under paragraph 7#a71 not more than #aj percent may be used for administrative costs4 7#c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4 4 #c4 ,crop insurance ,section #ejh7;a7 of the ,federal ,crop ,insurance ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aejh7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,food donation as alternative use 7,a7 ,definition of donate ,in this paragraph1 the term donate means to give without requiring anything of monetary value from the recipient4 7,b7 ,effect on crop insurance ,the ,corporation shall establish a procedure under which an insured crop that is donated by a producer does not qualify as a produced crop under a crop insurance claim4 4 #d4 ,study on food waste 7a7 ,definition of food waste ,in this section1 the term food waste means food waste that occurs-- 7#a7 on the farm and ranch production level2 and 7#b7 before and after the harvest period4 7b7 ,study ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency and the ,commissioner of ,food and ,drugs1 shall conduct a study to evaluate and determine-- 7#a7 methods of measuring food waste2 7#b7 standards for the volume of food waste2 and 7#c7 causal factors for food waste4 7c7 ,initial ,report ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall submit a report that describes the results of the study conducted under subsection 7b7 to the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate4 7d7 ,annual report ,not later than #a year after the date of submission of the report under subsection 7c71 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate a report that describes-- 7#a7 food waste during the #a-year period ending on the date of submission of the report under this subsection2 and 7#b7 the methods that the ,secretary shall implement to reduce food waste4