[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4012 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4012

To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to establish a 
           community-supported agriculture promotion program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2012

    Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. McGovern, and Ms. Pingree of Maine) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                              Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to establish a 
           community-supported agriculture promotion program.

    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 ``Community-Supported Agriculture 
Promotion Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROMOTION PROGRAM.

    Subtitle A of title X of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (122 Stat. 2097; Public Law 110-246) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``SEC. 10110. COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROMOTION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) CSA.--The term `CSA' means a farm operated in a 
        manner consistent with community-supported agriculture, as 
        defined by the Secretary.
            ``(2) Nonprofit organization.--The term `nonprofit 
        organization' means an organization, group, institute, or 
        institution that qualifies as an organization described in 
        section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and is 
        exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.
            ``(3) Program.--The term `Program' means the Community-
        Supported Agriculture Promotion Program established under 
        subsection (b).
            ``(4) Underserved community.--The term `underserved 
        community' means a community (including an urban or rural 
        community or an Indian tribe) that, as determined by the 
        Secretary, has--
                    ``(A) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, 
                including fresh fruits and vegetables;
                    ``(B) a high incidence of a diet-related disease 
                (including obesity) as compared to the national 
                average;
                    ``(C) a high rate of hunger or food insecurity; or
                    ``(D) severe or persistent poverty.
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall carry out a program, to 
be known as the `Community-Supported Agriculture Promotion Program', to 
promote community-supported agriculture.
    ``(c) Program Purposes.--The purposes of the Program are--
            ``(1) to assist in the improvement or expansion of existing 
        CSAs;
            ``(2) to assist in the development of new CSAs;
            ``(3) to enhance the economic viability of agricultural 
        producers;
            ``(4) to enhance the relationship between consumers and 
        agricultural producers;
            ``(5) to encourage outreach and education activities that 
        develop consumer interest in CSA participation;
            ``(6) to assist in the development, improvement, or 
        expansion of innovative delivery and distribution programs that 
        stimulate consumer interest in CSA participation; and
            ``(7) to assist in the development, improvement, and 
        expansion of multifarm CSAs that--
                    ``(A) allow agricultural producers to concentrate 
                on the production of a few crops or the development of 
                value-added products; and
                    ``(B) stimulate consumer interest in CSA 
                participation by offering an increased variety of 
                products.
    ``(d) Eligible Entities.--An entity shall be eligible to receive a 
grant under the Program if the entity is--
            ``(1) a nonprofit organization;
            ``(2) an extension service program operated through an 
        institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
            ``(3) an agricultural producer;
            ``(4) a State or local government;
            ``(5) a public benefit corporation; or
            ``(6) such other entity as the Secretary may designate.
    ``(e) Criteria and Guidelines.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish criteria 
        to evaluate and rank proposed projects under the Program.
            ``(2) Preference.--In developing the criteria, the 
        Secretary shall emphasize support for--
                    ``(A) public entities and nonprofit organizations 
                that propose in an application to provide substantial 
                financial and technical assistance directly to CSAs 
                from individual- or family-operated farms;
                    ``(B) CSAs from individually operated or family-
                operated farms;
                    ``(C) the expansion of CSAs into underserved 
                communities;
                    ``(D) CSAs operated by or employing veterans (as 
                defined in section 101 of title 38, United States 
                Code); and
                    ``(E) the development, improvement, or expansion of 
                innovative delivery and distribution programs that 
                stimulate consumer interest in CSA participation.
    ``(f) Funding.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
        Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 
        section--
                    ``(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;
                    ``(B) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 
                through 2015; and
                    ``(C) $15,000,000 for each fiscal years 2016 
                through 2018.
            ``(2) Interdepartmental coordination.--In carrying out this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, coordination between the applicable agencies.''.
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