,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #chfj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #ab1 #bjbf,mr4 ,booker introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid to establish an ,office of ,small ,farms1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,office of ,small ,farms ,establishment ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,office of ,small ,farms 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,b of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fica et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bbi4 ,office of ,small ,farms 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,small farm1 ranch1 or forest operation ,the term small farm1 ranch1 or forest operation means a farm1 ranch1 or forest operation that-- 7,a7 7i7 is less than #ahj acres2 or 7ii7 meets another acreage-based definition of small1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that takes into consideration-- 7,i7 the ,state or region in which the farm1 ranch1 or forest operation is located2 7,,ii7 the production system of the farm1 ranch1 or forest operation2 or 7,,iii7 both2 and 7,b7 has an annual gross cash farm income of less than #cej1jjj4 7#b7 ,state office ,the term ,state office means-- 7,a7 a ,state office of-- 7i7 the ,farm ,service ,agency2 7ii7 the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service2 or 7iii7 the rural development mission area2 or 7,b7 a regional office of the ,risk ,management ,agency4 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish within the farm production and conservation mission area the ,office of ,small ,farms4 7#b7 ,director 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall appoint a ,director of the ,office of ,small ,farms 7referred to in this section as the ,director74 7,b7 ,,fpac ,a senior official within the farm production and conservation mission area may be appointed to serve as the ,director4 7c7 ,duties ,the ,director shall-- 7#a7 coordinate efforts to improve support for small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations across all ,department agencies and offices2 7#b7 review ,department programs and policies and identify statutory1 regulatory1 and administrative provisions1 policies1 and guidance that disadvantage small farm1 ranch1 or forest operation participation1 and recommend changes to ensure that those programs and policies adequately serve small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 7#c7 develop recommendations for new initiatives1 including financing mechanisms and technical assistance opportunities1 to specifically serve small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations relating to production1 conservation1 business planning1 land access1 and other issues1 as determined by the ,secretary2 7#d7 make recommendations to ,department agencies and offices and other ,federal agencies on tracking small farm1 ranch1 or forest operation data1 including demographics and program participation rates2 7#e7 propose research agendas on topics that are of special interest to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 7#f7 provide or coordinate technical assistance through the ,department or through cooperative agreements with other entities to operators of small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations to assist those operators-- 7,a7 to access the full complement of available ,department grant1 cost-share1 and loan programs2 7,b7 to implement activities using assistance received under those programs2 and 7,c7 with farmland preservation1 including through succession planning2 7#g7 implement a program directly or through cooperative agreements with other entities to provide grants of not more than #be1jjj to operators of small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations for-- 7,a7 equipment and infrastructure repairs and upgrades2 7,b7 uninsured losses2 7,c7 business planning and market development assistance2 7,d7 conservation practice adoption2 7,e7 down payments for land acquisition2 and 7,f7 such other purposes as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 7#h7 operate a hotline through which operators of small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations can anonymously report problems that the operators encounter in attempts to access ,department programs2 7#i7 collaborate with other ,federal agencies and ,state agencies on how to effectively reach and serve small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 and 7#aj7 determine whether to approve a plan submitted by a ,state small farms coordinator under subsection 7e77#c77;,a77ii74 7d7 ,liaisons 7#a7 ,appointment ,the following officials shall appoint1 from among the officers and employees under the respective official1 a liaison to the ,office of ,small ,farms3 7,a7 ,the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service4 7,b7 ,the ,administrator of the ,farm ,service ,agency4 7,c7 ,the ,administrator of the ,risk ,management ,agency4 7,d7 ,the ,under ,secretary of ,agriculture for ,rural ,development4 7,e7 ,the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture4 7,f7 ,the ,administrator of the ,agricultural ,marketing ,service4 7,g7 ,the ,administrator of the ,economic ,research ,service4 7,h7 ,the ,administrator of the ,national ,agricultural ,statistics ,service4 7,i7 ,the ,director of the ,office of ,partnerships and ,public ,engagement4 7,j7 ,the heads of such other agencies1 offices1 and advisory groups as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate1 including-- 7i7 the ,office of ,urban ,agriculture and ,innovative ,production2 and 7ii7 the ,office of ,tribal ,relations4 7#b7 ,duties ,each liaison appointed under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 coordinate with the ,office of ,small ,farms and the other liaisons appointed under that paragraph to develop and implement new strategies for outreach to and education for small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 and 7,b7 coordinate within the agency1 office1 mission area1 or advisory group of the liaison on issues and outreach relating to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations4 7e7 ,state small farms coordinators 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,designation 7i7 ,in general ,the ,director1 in consultation with ,state food and agriculture councils and directors of ,state offices1 shall designate in each ,state a ,state small farms coordinator from among the employees of ,state offices4 7ii7 ,employees ,the employee of a ,state office designated to be a ,state small farms coordinator may be the same employee designated to be the ,state beginning farmer and rancher coordinator under section #gdjd7;c7 of the ,farm ,security and ,rural ,investment ,act of #bjjb 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ficd;a7c774 7,b7 ,requirements ,to be designated as a ,state small farms coordinator1 an employee shall-- 7i7 be familiar with issues relating to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 and 7ii7 have the ability to coordinate with other ,federal departments and agencies4 7#b7 ,training ,the ,secretary shall develop a training plan to provide to each ,state small farms coordinator knowledge of programs and services available from the ,department for small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations1 taking into consideration the needs of all types of production methods4 7#c7 ,duties 7,a7 ,in general ,a ,state small farms coordinator-- 7i7 shall coordinate technical assistance at the ,state level to assist small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations in accessing programs of the ,department2 7ii7 shall develop and submit to the ,director for approval a ,state plan to improve the coordination1 delivery1 and efficacy of programs of the ,department to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations1 taking into consideration the needs of all types of production methods1 at each county and area office in the ,state2 7iii7 shall oversee implementation of an approved ,state plan described in clause 7ii72 7iv7 may facilitate interagency and interdepartmental collaboration on issues relating to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations at the ,state or regional level2 7v7 shall work with outreach coordinators in the ,state offices to ensure appropriate information about technical assistance is available at outreach events and activities2 7vi7 shall coordinate partnerships and joint outreach efforts with other organizations and government agencies serving small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations2 and 7vii7 may provide grants under subsection 7c77#g71 in accordance with criteria established by the ,director4 7,b7 ,individual duties ,not less than #ej percent of the duties of an employee designated to be a ,state small farms coordinator shall be the duties described in subparagraph 7,a7 or other duties relating to small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations4 7f7 ,report to ,congress ,annually1 the ,secretary 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 describing-- 7#a7 the efforts of the ,secretary to enhance participation by small farms1 ranches1 and forest operations in agricultural programs2 and 7#b7 the results achieved to enhance such participation for each such agricultural program4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjca-- 7#a7 #ae1jjj1jjj for the administration of the ,office of ,small ,farms2 and 7#b7 #aj1jjj1jjj to provide technical assistance and grants authorized by this section4 4 7b7 ,technical amendment ,the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid is amended by redesignating the first section #bbe 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #fibe7 7relating to the ,food ,access ,liaison7 as section #bbd;,a4 7c7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bif7;b7 of the ,department of ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gjad7;b77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#aa7 ,the authority of the ,secretary to carry out section #bbi4 4