,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abje ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #ai1 #bjbc,mr4 ,brown 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,fetterman7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to modify market development programs under the ,department of ,agriculture1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,local ,farms and ,food ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,local ,agriculture ,market ,program reform ,section #baj;,a of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,act of #aidf 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afbg;c7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#e7 through 7#ac7 as paragraphs 7#f7 through 7#ad71 respectively2 and 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#d7 the following3 7#e7 ,food hub ,the term food hub means a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation1 distribution1 and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers1 who are primarily local and regional producers1 to strengthen the ability of those producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale1 retail1 and institutional demands4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7b77#d71 by inserting 1 regional food chain coordination1 after collaboration2 7#c7 in subsection 7c77#d71 by striking stakeholders4 and inserting stakeholders1 including eligible entities described in subsection 7d77#f77;,b7 that receive a grant by submitting an application under subsection 7d77#f77;,d7 through a competitive cooperative agreement with a nongovernmental organization1 before and after providing grants under the ,program42 7#d7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking #bjai through #bjbc and inserting #bjbd through #bjbh2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,i71 by striking or at the end2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,j77ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,k7 to support the purchase of general purpose equipment2 or 7,l7 to support the logistics required for the redemption of ,federal nutrition benefits at direct producer-to-consumer markets4 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#e77;,e7-- 7i7 by striking ,an eligible entity and inserting the following3 7i7 ,in general ,except as provided in clause 7ii71 an eligible entity 2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7ii7 ,exception 7,i7 ,in general ,an eligible entity described in subparagraph 7,b7 that has an adjusted gross income of not more than #bej1jjj averaged over the previous #c years shall contribute an amount of non-,federal funds in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution that is equal to #be percent of the amount of ,federal funds received4 7,,ii7 ,limitation ,the amount of ,federal funds received under a grant by an eligible entity that provides a reduced non-,federal contribution in accordance with subclause 7,i7 may not exceed #bjj1jjj4 7,,iii7 ,required documentation ,the ,secretary shall consider a letter from an accountant stating that the adjusted gross income of an eligible entity described in subparagraph 7,b7 is not more than #bej1jjj averaged over the previous #c years1 based on the line on ,internal ,revenue ,service form #ajdj that describes adjusted gross income1 sufficient to demonstrate eligibility for a reduced non-,federal contribution under subclause 7,i74 2 and 7,d7 in paragraph 7#f7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 by redesignating clauses 7vii7 and 7viii7 as clauses 7viii7 and 7ix71 respectively2 and 7,,ii7 by inserting after clause 7vi7 the following3 7vii7 a food hub2 2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c7-- 7,i7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by inserting 1 outreach1 and technical assistance after applications2 7,,ii7 in clause 7i7-- 7aa7 by inserting would before benefit2 and 7bb7 by striking or at the end2 7,,iii7 by redesignating clause 7ii7 as clause 7iii72 7,,iv7 by inserting after clause 7i7 the following3 7ii7 would provide greater geographic balance relative to the benefits of the ,program2 or 2 and 7,v7 in clause 7iii7 7as so redesignated71 by striking are used and inserting would be used2 7iii7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,d7 and 7,e7 as subparagraphs 7,e7 and 7,f71 respectively2 7iv7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,c7 the following3 7,d7 ,simplified applications 7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a simplified turnkey application form for eligible entities described in subparagraph 7,b7 that-- 7,i7 request less than #ajj1jjj2 and 7,,ii7 chose from the project categories described in clause 7ii71 which shall include a specific1 limited set of key activities with predefined requirements established by the ,secretary4 7ii7 ,project categories 7,i7 ,direct-to-consumer projects ,in the case of a direct-to-consumer project1 an application form described in clause 7i7 shall be available for the following categories of projects3 7aa7 ,an outreach and promotion project4 7bb7 ,a project to provide funding for farmers market manager staff time4 7cc7 ,a project to provide vendor training4 7dd7 ,a planning and design project4 7ee7 ,a data collection and evaluation project4 7,,ii7 ,local and regional food markets and enterprise projects ,in the case of a local and regional food market and enterprise project1 an application form described in clause 7i7 shall be available for the following categories of projects3 7aa7 ,a food hub feasibility study project4 7bb7 ,a project to provide funding for regional food chain coordination staff time4 7cc7 ,a project to provide technical assistance4 7dd7 ,a data collection and evaluation project4 7ee7 ,a project to purchase general purpose equipment4 7iii7 ,general purpose equipment grants ,in the case of a project described in clause 7ii77,,ii77ee71 the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,service1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,rural ,business-,cooperative ,service1 shall fulfill the applicable documentation and monitoring requirements under sections #bjj4cac and #bjj4dci of title #b1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7as in effect on the date of enactment of this clause74 2 and 7v7 in subparagraph 7,e7 7as so redesignated71 by striking clause 7ii7 and inserting the following3 7ii7 ,exception ,an eligible entity described in subparagraph 7,b7 may use-- 7,i7 not more than #ajj1jjj of the amount of a grant for an eligible activity described in subparagraph 7,j7 or 7,k7 of paragraph 7#b7-- 7aa7 to purchase or upgrade equipment to improve food safety2 or 7bb7 to purchase general purpose equipment2 and 7,,ii7 any amount of a grant to purchase general purpose equipment in accordance with subparagraph 7,d77ii77,,ii77ee74 2 7#e7 in subsection 7e77#b77;,a71 by striking #bjai and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following3 8#bjbd through #bjbh to support partnerships-- 7i7 to plan a local or regional food system2 7ii7 to implement a local or regional food system plan2 7iii7 to develop and implement a regional food chain coordination project2 and 7iv7 to develop and implement a regional outreach1 technical assistance1 and evaluation project4 2 7#f7 in subsection 7f77#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking subsection 7d72 or and inserting subsection 7d77#e72 7,b7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,b7 as subparagraph 7,c72 and 7,c7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a7 the following3 7,b7 are eligible to submit an application in accordance with subsection 7d77#f77;,d72 or 2 and 7#g7 in subsection 7i7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking #ej1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjai and inserting #ge1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking #bj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjai and inserting #cj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#c77;,b7-- 7i7 by striking ,of the funds and inserting the following3 7i7 ,in general ,of the funds 2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7ii7 ,simplified applications ,of the funds made available for grants under subsection 7d77#f7 for a fiscal year1 not less than #be percent1 and not more than #ej percent1 shall be used to provide grants to eligible entities that submit an application in accordance with subsection 7d77#f77;,d74 4 #c4 ,funding for the ,seniors ,farmers' ,market ,nutrition ,program ,section #ddjb7;a7 of the ,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment ,act of #bjjb 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjg7;a77 is amended by striking ,of the funds and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,mandatory funding ,of the funds of the ,commodity ,credit ,corporation1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture shall use to carry out and expand the seniors farmers' market nutrition program #bj1fjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh4 7#b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh4 4 #d4 ,federal share for activities under ,gus ,schumacher ,nutrition ,incentive ,program ,section #ddje7;b77#a77;,c7 of the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #geag7;b77#a77;,c77 is amended by striking #ej and inserting #ge4 #e4 ,panel to review produce prescription program applications ,section #ddje7;c77#c7 of the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #geag7;c77#c77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7,c7 ,panel to review applications 7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a panel-- 7,i7 to review applications submitted to the ,secretary pursuant to this paragraph2 and 7,,ii7 to make recommendations to the ,secretary with respect to those applications4 7ii7 ,members ,the panel required under clause 7i7 shall include-- 7,i7 at least #a member with experience as a healthcare provider2 and 7,,ii7 at least #a member with experience administering health plans4 4