[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5812 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5812

To conduct a pilot program in support of efforts to increase purchases 
     of local fresh fruits and vegetables for schools and service 
 institutions by giving several States the option of receiving a grant 
from the Secretary of Agriculture for that purpose instead of obtaining 
         commodities under Department of Agriculture programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 21, 2010

  Mr. Welch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To conduct a pilot program in support of efforts to increase purchases 
     of local fresh fruits and vegetables for schools and service 
 institutions by giving several States the option of receiving a grant 
from the Secretary of Agriculture for that purpose instead of obtaining 
         commodities under Department of Agriculture programs.

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

SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM FOR PURCHASE OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 
              FOR SCHOOLS AND SERVICE INSTITUTIONS IN VERMONT.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a 
pilot program under which a participating State, in lieu of obtaining 
any or a portion of the State's commodities under section 10603(b) of 
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 612c-
4(b)), receives a grant from the Food and Nutrition Service in an 
amount equal to the value of the commodities for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012. The grant funds shall be used solely to purchase fresh 
fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service 
institutions in the State participating in the food service programs 
under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 
et seq.) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).
    (b) Selection of Participating States.--The pilot program is 
limited to three States. The Secretary shall select the participating 
States from applications submitted by the States. Each participating 
State shall be from a different Department of Agriculture region.
    (c) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) School and service institution requirement.--Schools 
        and service institutions in a participating State shall keep 
        records of purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables made using 
        the grant funds and report such information to the State.
            (2) State requirement.--The participating States shall 
        report to the Secretary on the success of the pilot program, 
        including information on--
                    (A) the value of the grant funds versus commodities 
                previously received under section 10603 of the Farm 
                Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002; and
                    (B) the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables 
                purchased versus varieties previously received under 
                such section.
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