[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2762 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2762

To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to support 
    opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 26, 2018

   Ms. Heitkamp (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Jones, and Ms. Smith) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to support 
    opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Next Generation in Agriculture 
Act''.

SEC. 2. BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 7405 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(7 U.S.C. 3319f) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by inserting ``to increase opportunities'' 
                        after ``initiatives'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``and succession'' after ``transfer'';
                            (iii) by redesignating subparagraphs (M) 
                        and (N) as subparagraphs (N) and (O), 
                        respectively; and
                            (iv) by inserting after subparagraph (L) 
                        the following:
                    ``(M) food safety;'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (4);
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (12) as 
                paragraphs (4) through (11), respectively;
                    (D) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)--
                            (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and 
                        (F) as subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; 
                        and
                            (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (D) 
                        the following:
                    ``(E) the consultation of beginning farmers and 
                ranchers in design, implementation, and decisionmaking 
                relating to an initiative described in paragraph 
                (1);'';
                    (E) in paragraph (10) (as so redesignated), by 
                striking ``10'' and inserting ``15''; and
                    (F) in paragraph (11) (as so redesignated), by 
                striking ``(8)(B)'' and inserting ``(7)(B)'';
            (2) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(including owners or operators 
                that have ended, or expect to end within 5 years, 
                active labor in farming or ranching operations as a 
                producer)'' after ``not beginning farmers or 
                ranchers''; and
                    (B) by striking ``educating'' and inserting 
                ``increasing opportunities for''; and
            (3) in subsection (h)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
                        ``for fiscal years 2009 through 2018'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``, 
                        to remain available until expended.'' and 
                        inserting a semicolon; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 and 
                2020;
                    ``(E) $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 and 
                2022; and
                    ``(F) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023 and each 
                fiscal year thereafter, to remain available until 
                expended.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
                        ``2014 through 2018'' and inserting ``2018 
                        through 2023''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``2014 through 2018'' and 
                        inserting ``2018 through 2023''.

SEC. 3. YOUTH OUTREACH AND BEGINNING FARMER COORDINATION.

    Subtitle D of title VII of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after section 7405 (7 U.S.C. 3319f) 
the following:

``SEC. 7405A. YOUTH OUTREACH AND BEGINNING FARMER COORDINATION.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Beginning farmer or rancher.--The term `beginning 
        farmer or rancher' has the meaning given the term in section 
        7405(a).
            ``(2) National coordinator.--The term `National 
        Coordinator' means the National Beginning Farmer and Rancher 
        Coordinator established under subsection (b)(1).
            ``(3) State coordinator.--The term `State coordinator' 
        means a State beginning farmer and rancher coordinator 
        designated under subsection (c)(1)(A).
            ``(4) State office.--The term `State office' means--
                    ``(A) a State office of--
                            ``(i) the Farm Service Agency;
                            ``(ii) the Natural Resources Conservation 
                        Service;
                            ``(iii) the Rural Business-Cooperative 
                        Service; or
                            ``(iv) the Rural Utilities Service; or
                    ``(B) a regional office of the Risk Management 
                Agency.
    ``(b) National Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish in the 
        Department the position of National Beginning Farmer and 
        Rancher Coordinator.
            ``(2) Duties.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The National Coordinator shall--
                            ``(i) advise the Secretary and coordinate 
                        activities of the Department on programs, 
                        policies, and issues relating to beginning 
                        farmers and ranchers; and
                            ``(ii) in consultation with the applicable 
                        State food and agriculture council, determine 
                        whether to approve a plan submitted by a State 
                        coordinator under subsection (c)(3)(B).
                    ``(B) Discretionary duties.--Duties of the National 
                Coordinator may include--
                            ``(i) developing and implementing new 
                        strategies to support beginning farmers and 
                        ranchers by conducting outreach and developing 
                        strategies to provide assistance to beginning 
                        farmers and ranchers and owners or operators 
                        that have ended, or expect to end within 5 
                        years, active labor in farming or ranching 
                        operations as a producer; and
                            ``(ii) facilitating interagency and 
                        interdepartmental collaboration on issues 
                        relating to beginning farmers and ranchers.
            ``(3) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year, 
        the National Coordinator shall distribute within the Department 
        and make publicly available a report describing the status of 
        steps taken to carry out the duties described in subparagraphs 
        (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Contracts and cooperative agreements.--In carrying 
        out the duties under paragraph (2), the National Coordinator 
        may enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with an 
        institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), cooperative 
        extension services (as defined in section 1404 of the National 
        Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
        1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103), or a nonprofit organization--
                    ``(A) to conduct research on the profitability of 
                new farms in operation for not less than 5 years in a 
                region;
                    ``(B) to develop educational materials;
                    ``(C) to conduct workshops, courses, training, or 
                certified vocational training; or
                    ``(D) to conduct mentoring activities.
    ``(c) State Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinators.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Designation.--The National Coordinator, in 
                consultation with State food and agriculture councils 
                and Directors of State offices, shall designate in each 
                State a State beginning farmer and rancher coordinator 
                from among employees of State offices.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--To be designated as a State 
                coordinator, an employee shall--
                            ``(i) be familiar with issues relating to 
                        beginning farmers and ranchers; and
                            ``(ii) have the ability to interface with 
                        other Federal departments and agencies.
            ``(2) Training.--The Secretary shall develop a training 
        plan to provide to each State coordinator knowledge of programs 
        and services available from the Department for beginning 
        farmers and ranchers, taking into consideration the unique 
        needs of each type of production method and size of 
        agricultural operation.
            ``(3) Duties.--A State coordinator shall--
                    ``(A) coordinate technical assistance at the State 
                level to assist beginning farmers and ranchers in 
                accessing programs of the Department;
                    ``(B) develop and submit to the National 
                Coordinator for approval under subsection (b)(2)(A)(ii) 
                a State plan to improve the coordination, delivery, and 
                efficacy of programs of the Department to beginning 
                farmers and ranchers, taking into consideration the 
                unique needs of each type of production method and size 
                of agricultural operation, at each county and area 
                office in the State;
                    ``(C) oversee implementation of an approved State 
                plan described in subparagraph (B);
                    ``(D) work with outreach coordinators in the State 
                offices to ensure appropriate information about 
                technical assistance is available at outreach events 
                and activities; and
                    ``(E) coordinate partnerships and joint outreach 
                efforts with other organizations and government 
                agencies serving beginning farmers and ranchers.
    ``(d) Agricultural Youth Coordinator.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish in the 
        Department the position of Agricultural Youth Coordinator.
            ``(2) Duties.--The Agricultural Youth Coordinator shall--
                    ``(A) promote the role of school-based agricultural 
                education and youth-serving agricultural organizations 
                in motivating and preparing young people to pursue 
                careers in the agriculture, food, and natural resources 
                systems;
                    ``(B) coordinate programs and agencies within the 
                Department--
                            ``(i) to work with schools and youth-
                        serving organizations to develop joint programs 
                        and initiatives, such as internships; and
                            ``(ii) to provide resources and input to 
                        schools and youth-serving organizations 
                        regarding motivating and preparing young people 
                        to pursue careers in the agriculture, food, and 
                        natural resources systems;
                    ``(C) raise awareness among youth about the 
                importance of agriculture in a diversity of fields and 
                disciplines;
                    ``(D) provide information to youth involved in food 
                and agriculture and youth agriculture organizations 
                about the availability of, and eligibility requirements 
                for, agricultural programs, with particular emphasis 
                on--
                            ``(i) beginning farmer and rancher 
                        programs;
                            ``(ii) agriculture education;
                            ``(iii) nutrition education;
                            ``(iv) science, technology, engineering, 
                        and mathematics education; and
                            ``(v) other food and agriculture programs 
                        for youth;
                    ``(E) serve as a resource for youth involved in 
                food and agriculture applying for participation in 
                agricultural programs;
                    ``(F) conduct outreach to youth agriculture 
                organizations; and
                    ``(G) advocate on behalf of youth involved in food 
                and agriculture and youth organizations in interactions 
                with employees of the Department.
            ``(3) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year, 
        the Agricultural Youth Coordinator shall distribute within the 
        Department and make publicly available a report describing the 
        status of steps taken to carry out the duties described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2).
            ``(4) Contracts and cooperative agreements.--For purposes 
        of carrying out the duties described in paragraph (2), the 
        Agricultural Youth Coordinator--
                    ``(A) shall consult with the cooperative extension 
                services and the land-grant colleges and universities; 
                and
                    ``(B) may enter into contracts or cooperative 
                agreements with the research centers of the 
                Agricultural Research Service, institutions of higher 
                education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), or nonprofit 
                organizations for--
                            ``(i) the development of educational 
                        materials;
                            ``(ii) the conduct of workshops, courses, 
                        and certified vocational training;
                            ``(iii) the conduct of mentoring 
                        activities; or
                            ``(iv) the provision of internship 
                        opportunities.''.

SEC. 4. NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE.

    Subtitle C of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 is amended by inserting after section 1418 
(7 U.S.C. 3153) the following:

``SEC. 1419. NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a next generation 
agriculture technology challenge competition to provide an incentive 
for the development of innovative mobile technology that removes 
barriers to entry in the marketplace for beginning farmers and ranchers 
(as defined in section 7405(a) of the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3319f(a))).
    ``(b) Amount.--The Secretary may award not more than $1,000,000 in 
the aggregate to one or more winners of the competition under 
subsection (a).''.

SEC. 5. BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER CROP INSURANCE.

    Section 502(b)(3) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 
1502(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``5'' and inserting ``10''.
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