[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4710 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4710

  To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to award 
        grants to eligible entities for farm to school programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 26, 2010

   Mr. Holt (for himself, Mr. Sestak, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. 
  Ellison, and Mr. Davis of Tennessee) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to award 
        grants to eligible entities for farm to school programs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Farm to School Improvements Act of 
2010''.

SEC. 2. FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.

    (a) Amendment.--The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 19, the 
following:

``SEC. 19A. FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide assistance, through 
competitive matching grants and technical assistance, to eligible 
entities for farm to school programs that--
            ``(1) improve access to local foods in schools and 
        institutions participating in programs under this Act and 
        section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) 
        through farm to school activities, including the purchase of 
        local food, establishment of effective relationships between 
        school and institutional food service providers, distributors, 
        and producers or groups of producers, school gardens, 
        appropriate equipment, and the provision of training and 
        education; and
            ``(2) are designed to--
                    ``(A) improve the nutritional health and well being 
                of children;
                    ``(B) procure healthy local foods from small and 
                medium-sized farms for meals at eligible schools and 
                institutions;
                    ``(C) support experiential nutrition education 
                activities and curriculum planning that incorporates 
                the participation of school children in farm and 
                garden-based agricultural education activities;
                    ``(D) develop a sustained commitment to farm to 
                school programs in the community by linking schools and 
                institutions, State and local agencies including Indian 
                Tribal Organizations, institutions of higher education, 
                agricultural producers, parents, community garden 
                groups and other community stakeholders; and
                    ``(E) increase farm income by facilitating farmers' 
                access to institutional markets including schools.
    ``(b) Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible entity' means--
            ``(1) a school;
            ``(2) nonprofit organization; or
            ``(3) other entity that the Secretary determines offers a 
        unique ability to provide services or farm-to-school programs.
    ``(c) Grants.--
            ``(1) Types of grants.--A grant awarded under this section 
        may include--
                    ``(A) an implementation grant to support the cost 
                of implementing a farm to school program;
                    ``(B) a training and technical assistance grant to 
                support the cost of--
                            ``(i) providing the training, operational 
                        support, information, and access to resources 
                        necessary to implement a successful farm to 
                        school program; and
                            ``(ii) encouraging collaboration between 
                        public and private entities; or
                    ``(C) a planning grant to support the cost of 
                conducting research, identifying resources, and 
                developing partnerships to design a successful and 
                sustainable farm to school program.
            ``(2) Grant amounts.--A grant awarded under this section to 
        an eligible entity shall not exceed--
                    ``(A) in the case of an implementation or training 
                and technical assistance grant, $100,000; and
                    ``(B) in the case of a planning grant, $25,000.
            ``(3) Grant duration.--A grant under this section shall be 
        awarded for a period--
                    ``(A) in the case of an implementation or training 
                and technical assistance grant, not to exceed 2 years; 
                and
                    ``(B) in the case of a planning grant, not to 
                exceed 1 year.
    ``(d) Cost Share.--
            ``(1) In general.--The amount of a grant made under this 
        section shall not exceed 75 percent of the cost of the proposed 
        grant activities.
            ``(2) Non-federal support.--A recipient of a grant under 
        this section shall be required to provide at least 25 percent 
        of the cost of the proposed grant activities in the form of 
        cash or in-kind contributions (including facilities, equipment, 
        training, or services provided by State and local governments 
        and private sources).
    ``(e) Evaluation.--A recipient of a grant under this section shall 
cooperate in an evaluation by the Secretary of the programs carried out 
using such grant funds.
    ``(f) Regional Balance.--In making awards and providing technical 
assistance under this section, the Secretary shall to the maximum 
extent practicable, ensure--
            ``(1) geographical diversity; and
            ``(2) equitable treatment of urban, rural, and tribal 
        communities.
    ``(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide recipients 
of grants under this section with technical assistance, which shall 
include sharing information, best practices, research, and data on 
existing farm to school programs.
    ``(h) Proposals.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity desiring to receive a 
        grant under this section shall submit a proposal to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Competitive award selection.--The Secretary shall 
        form review panels to evaluate proposals submitted under 
        paragraph (1) based on the criteria described in paragraph (3). 
        Such review panels shall include--
                    ``(A) representatives of schools and eligible 
                institutions;
                    ``(B) registered dietitians;
                    ``(C) operators of small and medium-sized farms;
                    ``(D) public agencies;
                    ``(E) non-governmental and community-based 
                organizations with expertise in local food systems and 
                farm to school programs; and
                    ``(F) other appropriate parties as determined by 
                the Secretary.
            ``(3) Proposal review criteria.--In making awards under 
        this section, the Secretary shall evaluate proposals based on 
        the extent to which the proposed program--
                    ``(A) improves the nutritional health and well 
                being of children;
                    ``(B) makes local food products available on the 
                menu of the school or institution;
                    ``(C) benefits local small and medium-sized farms;
                    ``(D) incorporates experiential nutrition education 
                activities and curriculum planning that incorporates 
                the participation of school children in farm and 
                garden-based agricultural education activities;
                    ``(E) serves schools and eligible institutions with 
                a high proportion of children who are eligible for free 
                and reduced price lunches;
                    ``(F) demonstrates collaboration between schools or 
                institutions, non-governmental and community-based 
                organizations, farmer groups, and other community 
                partners;
                    ``(G) demonstrates the potential for long-term 
                program sustainability;
                    ``(H) includes adequate and participatory 
                evaluation plans; and
                    ``(I) meets such other related criteria as the 
                Secretary may determine relevant.
    ``(i) Funding.--Beginning on October 1, 2010, or of any funds in 
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury 
shall transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out this 
section $10,000,000 each fiscal year, to remain available until 
expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Change.--Section 18(g) of the Richard B. Russell 
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2); and
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs 
        (1) and (2), respectively.
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