Sec. 12302. Urban agriculture
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In this section, the term Director means the Director of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production established under section 222(a)(1) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (as added by subsection (b)). Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 6911 et seq.) (as amended by section 12202) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Secretary shall establish in the Department an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.
The Secretary shall appoint a senior official to serve as the Director of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (referred to in this section as the Director ). The mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production shall be to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including— community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters; rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls; indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms; hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities; and other innovations in agricultural production, as determined by the Secretary.
The Director shall be responsible for engaging in activities to carry out the mission described in paragraph (3), including by— managing and facilitating programs, including for community gardens, urban farms, rooftop agriculture, and indoor vertical production; coordinating with the agencies and officials of the Department; advising the Secretary on issues relating to the mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production; ensuring that the programs of the Department are updated to address urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices, in coordination with the officials in the Department responsible for those programs; engaging in external relations with stakeholders and coordinating external partnerships to share best practices, provide mentorship, and offer technical assistance; facilitating interagency program coordination and developing interagency tools for the promotion of existing programs and resources; creating resources that identify common State and municipal best practices for navigating local policies; reviewing and improving farm enterprise development programs that provide information about financial literacy, business planning, and food safety record keeping; coordinating networks of community gardens and facilitating connections to local food banks, in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Service; and collaborating with other Federal agencies that use agricultural practices on-site for food production or infrastructure.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (referred to in this subsection as the Committee ) to advise the Secretary on— the development of policies relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices; and any other aspects of the implementation of this section. The Committee shall be composed of 15 members, of whom— 5 shall be individuals who are agricultural producers, of whom— not fewer than 2 individuals shall be agricultural producers located in an urban area or urban cluster; and not fewer than 2 individuals shall be farmers that use innovative technology, including indoor farming and rooftop agriculture; 2 shall be representatives from an institution of higher education or extension program; 1 shall be an individual who represents a nonprofit organization, which may include a public health, environmental, or community organization; 1 shall be an individual who represents business and economic development, which may include a business development entity, a chamber of commerce, a city government, or a planning organization; 1 shall be an individual with supply chain experience, which may include a food aggregator, wholesale food distributor, food hub, or an individual who has direct-to-consumer market experience; 1 shall be an individual from a financing entity; and 4 shall be individuals with related experience or expertise in urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices, as determined by the Secretary.
The Secretary shall appoint the members of the Committee not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section. Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a member of the Committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. Of the members first appointed to the Committee— 5 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 3 years; 5 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and 5 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 1 year.
Any vacancy in the Committee— shall not affect the powers of the Committee; and shall be filled as soon as practicable in the same manner as the original appointment. An initial appointee of the committee may serve an additional consecutive term if the member is reappointed by the Secretary. The Committee shall meet not fewer than 3 times per year. Not later than 60 days after the date on which the members are appointed under paragraph (2)(B), the Committee shall hold the first meeting of the Committee.
The Committee shall— develop recommendations— to further the mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production described in subsection (a)(3); regarding the establishment of urban agriculture policy priorities and goals within the Department; advise the Director on policies and initiatives administered by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production; evaluate and review ongoing research and extension activities relating to urban, indoor, and other innovative agricultural practices; identify new and existing barriers to successful urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices; and provide additional assistance and advice to the Director as appropriate.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and each year thereafter, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary, the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the recommendations developed under subparagraph (A)(i). A member of the Committee shall serve without compensation. A member of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
Subject to subparagraph (B), the Committee shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the members are appointed under paragraph (2)(B). Before the date on which the Committee terminates, the Secretary may renew the Committee for 1 or more 2-year periods. . The Secretary shall provide for the assignment of a farm number (as defined in section 718.2 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act)) for rooftop farms, indoor farms, and other urban farms, as determined by the Secretary.
In this subsection, the term eligible entity means— a community organization; a nonprofit organization; a unit of local government; a Tribal government; any school that serves any of grades kindergarten through grade 12; and an institution of higher education. The Director may award competitive grants to eligible entities to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production. In awarding grants under this subsection, priority shall be given to an eligible entity that uses and provides an evaluation of a grant received under this subsection— to plan and construct gardens or nonprofit farms; to operate community gardens or nonprofit farms that— produce food for donation; have a demonstrated environmental benefit and educational component; and are part of community efforts to address local food security needs; to educate a community on— issues relating to food systems, including connections between rural farmers and urban communities; nutrition; environmental impacts, including pollinator health, soil fertility, composing, heat islands, and storm water runoff; and agricultural production, including pest and disease management; and to provide multiple small dollar equity investments to help offset start-up costs relating to new production, land access, and equipment for new and beginning farmers who— develop a 3-year business plan; live in the community in which they plan to farm; and provide a match to the start-up investment in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a pilot program for not fewer than 5 years that establishes 10 county committees in accordance with section 8(b)(5)(B)(ii)(II) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act ( 16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(5)(B) ) to operate in counties located in urban or suburban areas with a high concentration of urban or suburban farms. Nothing in this paragraph requires or precludes the establishment of a Farm Service Agency office in a county in which a county committee is established under subparagraph (A).
For fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter through fiscal year 2023, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing a summary of— the status of the pilot program under subparagraph (A); meetings and other activities of the committees established under that subparagraph; and the types and volume of assistance and services provided to farmers in counties in which county committees are established under that subparagraph.
The Secretary, acting through the Director (referred to in this paragraph as the Secretary ), shall carry out pilot projects under which the Secretary shall offer to enter into cooperative agreements with local or municipal governments in not fewer than 10 States to develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. Under a cooperative agreement entered into under this paragraph, the Secretary shall provide assistance to municipalities, counties, local governments, or city planners, as appropriate, to carry out planning and implementing activities that will— generate compost; increase access to compost for agricultural producers; reduce reliance on, and limit the use of, fertilizer; improve soil quality; encourage waste management and permaculture business development; increase rainwater absorption; reduce municipal food waste; and divert food waste from landfills.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish criteria for the selection of pilot projects under this paragraph. In selecting a pilot project under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to an application for a pilot project that— anticipates or demonstrates economic benefits; incorporates plans to make compost easily accessible to agricultural producers, including community gardeners; integrates other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts; and provides for collaboration with multiple partners.
The recipient of assistance for a pilot project under this paragraph shall provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both from sources other than funds provided through the grant in an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of the grant. The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of the pilot projects funded under this paragraph to assess different solutions for increasing access to compost and reducing municipal food waste, including an evaluation of— the amount of Federal funds used for each project; and a measurement of the outcomes of each project.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter.
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