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A bill to improve food safety, to encourage greater production of agricultural commodities for use in the locality of production, to reauthorize and expand Department of Agriculture support of those efforts, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-1947| Senate 
| Updated: 10/5/2017
Sherrod Brown

Sherrod Brown

Democratic Senator

Ohio

Cosponsors (2)
Tina Smith (Democratic)Susan M. Collins (Republican)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Local Food And Regional Market Supply Act or the Local FARMS Act This bill consolidates, modifies, and authorizes several Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to expand regional or local food markets and implement food safety practices. The bill authorizes and provides mandatory funding for a new Agricultural Market Development Program that is administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and consolidates: the Farmers' Market and Local Food Promotion Program, Value-Added Producer Grants, regional food chain coordination, and public-private partnerships to plan and develop regional food systems. The bill modifies the Food Safety Outreach Program to move the program to the AMS, provide mandatory funding, and expand the project priorities. The bill also: establishes a national food safety cost-share program; reauthorizes the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program; authorizes rural development grants and loans to be used for meat, dairy, and poultry processing infrastructure; allows institutions participating in the school food programs to use locally grown, locally raised, or locally caught as a product specification; authorizes grants for produce prescription programs for low-income individuals and households; and reauthorizes the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and expands eligibility to include low-income veterans. The bill modifies the Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program to: (1) require the majority of funds to be reserved for national or regional programs involving multiple states, and (2) expand the purposes of the program to include food waste reduction.
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Timeline
Oct 4, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-3941
Introduced in House
Oct 5, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Oct 5, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • October 4, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-3941
    Introduced in House


  • October 5, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • October 5, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 115-5316: To authorize appropriations for the seniors farmers' market nutrition program for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
  • HR 115-3941: To improve food safety, to encourage greater production of agricultural commodities for use in the locality in which produced, to reauthorize and expand Department of Agriculture support of these efforts, and for other purposes.
AgingAgricultural educationAgricultural marketing and promotionAgricultural practices and innovationsAgricultural researchElementary and secondary educationFood assistance and reliefFood industry and servicesFood supply, safety, and labelingGovernment lending and loan guaranteesLicensing and registrationsLivestockMeatNutrition and dietPublic-private cooperationRural conditions and developmentSolid waste and recyclingVeterans' pensions and compensation

A bill to improve food safety, to encourage greater production of agricultural commodities for use in the locality of production, to reauthorize and expand Department of Agriculture support of those efforts, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-1947| Senate 
| Updated: 10/5/2017
Local Food And Regional Market Supply Act or the Local FARMS Act This bill consolidates, modifies, and authorizes several Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to expand regional or local food markets and implement food safety practices. The bill authorizes and provides mandatory funding for a new Agricultural Market Development Program that is administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and consolidates: the Farmers' Market and Local Food Promotion Program, Value-Added Producer Grants, regional food chain coordination, and public-private partnerships to plan and develop regional food systems. The bill modifies the Food Safety Outreach Program to move the program to the AMS, provide mandatory funding, and expand the project priorities. The bill also: establishes a national food safety cost-share program; reauthorizes the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program; authorizes rural development grants and loans to be used for meat, dairy, and poultry processing infrastructure; allows institutions participating in the school food programs to use locally grown, locally raised, or locally caught as a product specification; authorizes grants for produce prescription programs for low-income individuals and households; and reauthorizes the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and expands eligibility to include low-income veterans. The bill modifies the Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program to: (1) require the majority of funds to be reserved for national or regional programs involving multiple states, and (2) expand the purposes of the program to include food waste reduction.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Oct 4, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-3941
Introduced in House
Oct 5, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Oct 5, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • October 4, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-3941
    Introduced in House


  • October 5, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • October 5, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sherrod Brown

Sherrod Brown

Democratic Senator

Ohio

Cosponsors (2)
Tina Smith (Democratic)Susan M. Collins (Republican)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • HR 115-5316: To authorize appropriations for the seniors farmers' market nutrition program for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
  • HR 115-3941: To improve food safety, to encourage greater production of agricultural commodities for use in the locality in which produced, to reauthorize and expand Department of Agriculture support of these efforts, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
AgingAgricultural educationAgricultural marketing and promotionAgricultural practices and innovationsAgricultural researchElementary and secondary educationFood assistance and reliefFood industry and servicesFood supply, safety, and labelingGovernment lending and loan guaranteesLicensing and registrationsLivestockMeatNutrition and dietPublic-private cooperationRural conditions and developmentSolid waste and recyclingVeterans' pensions and compensation