Growing Opportunities for Innovative Farming Act

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3902 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to provide for a set-aside for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 7, 2023 Mr. ESPAILLAT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to provide for a set-aside for socially dis- advantaged farmers and ranchers for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Growing Opportunities 4 for Innovative Farming Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:45 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3902.IH H3902 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 3902 IH SEC. 2. SET-ASIDE FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARM- 1 ERS AND RANCHERS. 2 Section 222(e) of the Department of Agriculture Re- 3 organization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6923(e)) is amended 4 to read as follows: 5 ‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 6 ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 7 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 8 this section and the amendments made by this sec- 9 tion $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 10 through 2028. 11 ‘‘(2) SET-ASIDE.—Of the amounts made avail- 12 able under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Sec- 13 retary shall set aside not less than 10 percent to 14 award grants under subsection (c) to eligible entities 15 that serve socially disadvantaged farmers and ranch- 16 ers (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agri- 17 culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 18 U.S.C. 6923(a))), in amounts of not less than 19 $10,000 per grantee per fiscal year.’’. 20 SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES AND OUT- 21 REACH FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED 22 FARMERS AND RANCHERS. 23 Section 2501(k) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva- 24 tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(k)) is amend- 25 ed by adding at the end the following: 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:45 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3902.IH H3902 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 3902 IH ‘‘(3) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year 1 after the date of the enactment of the Growing Op- 2 portunities for Innovative Farming Act, and each 3 year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 4 Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep- 5 resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nu- 6 trition, and Forestry a report describing— 7 ‘‘(A) targeted farming opportunities, train- 8 ing, and outreach practices being carried out by 9 the Secretary under this section; 10 ‘‘(B) a list of census tracts that the Sec- 11 retary has provided technical assistance to 12 under this section; 13 ‘‘(C) recommendations to Congress on how 14 to enhance equity for socially disadvantaged, 15 small farmers and ranchers; and 16 ‘‘(D) any other data the Secretary deter- 17 mines to be necessary to evaluate the benefits 18 of the technical assistance provided, outreach 19 efforts undertaken, and grants awarded under 20 this section.’’. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 06:45 Jul 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3902.IH H3902 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB