I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6457 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 20, 2012 Mr. Carson of Indiana (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Grijalva, and Mr. Rangel) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To provide grants to enhance the most effective freezing methods to improve access to affordable and locally produced specialty crops.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Preserving Healthy Food for the Hungry Act.

2.

Quick freeze and flash freeze local produce grants

(a)

In general

Section 231 of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 1632a) is amended— (1)in subsection (b)(7)— (A)in subparagraph (B), by inserting and subsection (f) after subsection; and (B)by adding at the end the following: (D)

Priority to be given to making quick freeze and flash freeze local produce grants

In expending funds under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to making grants under subsection (f). ; (2)in subsection (e)(2), by inserting , except pursuant to subsection (f) before the period; and (3)by adding at the end the following: (f)

Quick freeze and flash freeze local produce grants

(1)

In general

Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out this section, the Secretary shall make a grant of at least $100,000 for each of the fiscal years 2014 through 2019 to any institution eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503–505, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 301–305, 307 and 308), or the Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417–419, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328) that applies therefor, to assist persons in preserving the quality and shelf-life of fruit and vegetable crops produced by the persons on qualified land, through the use of mobile and fixed flash freezing and quick freezing units and other units utilizing freezing methods which produce the same result, in accordance with any applicable Federal, State, or local food safety law, regulation, or ordinance. (2)

Definitions

In this paragraph: (A)

Qualified land

The term qualified land means, with respect to a person, any plot of land owned or operated by the person, the annual gross sales from the specialty crops produced on which are not more than $249,000. (B)

Specialty crop

The term specialty crop has the meaning provided in section 3(1) of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004. . (b)

Effective date

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2013.