I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5806 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 21, 2010 Ms. Pingree of Maine (for herself, Ms. Kilroy, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Luján, Mr. Polis of Colorado, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Courtney) 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 create a local food credit program.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Eat Local Foods Act.

2.

Local Food Credit Program

Section 6(c) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (3)

Local Food Credit program

(A)

Establishment of program

Beginning with the school year ending in 2013, the Secretary shall establish and carry out a program under which the Secretary, not later than the beginning of each school year, shall provide a grant to each participating State agency to provide to each participating school food authority under the jurisdiction of the State agency, local food credits in an amount equal to not more than 10 percent of the total value of the commodity assistance (or cash payments in lieu thereof) that the authority would be eligible to receive under paragraph (2) for such school year, in lieu of such amount of commodity assistance (or cash payments in lieu thereof). (B)

Requirements for participating school food authorities

Each participating school food authority shall— (i)use the local food credit received under this paragraph to purchase local foods to be served under the school lunch program in schools under the jurisdiction of the authority; (ii)keep records of purchases made with such assistance; and (iii)provide such records to the Secretary in such manner and such form as established by the Secretary. (C)

Authorized use of funds

A participating school food authority may use up to 10 percent of the local food credit received under this paragraph for a school year to purchase local foods to be served under the school lunch program during the following school year. (D)

Minimum Commodity Purchases

The amount of a grant made under this paragraph for a school year shall count towards the Secretary’s commodity assistance or commodity requirements under subsection (e) for such school year. (E)

Definitions

For purposes of this paragraph: (i)

Local foods

The term local foods means has the meaning given the term locally or regionally produced agricultural food products in section 310B(g)(9)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(g)(A)). (ii)

Local food credit

The term local food credits means cash, letters of credit, or another form of assistance, determined by the Secretary. (iii)

Participating school food authority

The term participating school food authority means a school food authority that— (I)participates in the school lunch program under this Act; and (II)elects to participate in the local food credit program under this paragraph. (iv)

Participating State agency

The term participating State agency means a State agency that— (I)participates in the school lunch program under this Act; and (II)elects to participate in the local food credit program under this paragraph. .