[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2703 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2703

 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
      establish the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 27, 2023

 Mr. Padilla (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
 Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 
                        Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
      establish the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce.

    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 ``Supporting Our Farm and Food System 
Workforce Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. OFFICE OF THE FARM AND FOOD SYSTEM WORKFORCE.

    (a) In General.--The Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act 
of 1994 is amended by inserting after section 226B (7 U.S.C. 6934) the 
following:

``SEC. 226C. OFFICE OF THE FARM AND FOOD SYSTEM WORKFORCE.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Advisory committee.--The term `Advisory Committee' 
        means the Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee 
        established under subsection (d)(1).
            ``(2) Coordinator.--The term `Coordinator' means the Farm 
        and Food System Workforce Coordinator.
            ``(3) Farmworker coordinator.--The term `Farmworker 
        Coordinator' means the position established under section 
        226B(f).
            ``(4) Farm and food system worker.--The term `farm and food 
        system worker' means a worker employed, or a contract worker 
        engaged--
                    ``(A) in the production, processing, packaging, 
                transporting, trade, or marketing of food, feed, or 
                fiber through aquaculture, farming, wild fisheries, 
                forestry, or pastoralism, as described in section 4(4) 
                of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 
                9303(4));
                    ``(B) in any service or activity described in 
                section 3(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 
                (29 U.S.C. 203(f)) or section 3121(g) of the Internal 
                Revenue Code of 1986; or
                    ``(C) in the handling, planting, drying, packing, 
                packaging, processing, freezing, or grading prior to 
                the delivery for storage of any agricultural or 
                horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state.
            ``(5) Interagency council.--The term `Interagency Council' 
        means the Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council 
        established under subsection (e)(1).
            ``(6) Office.--The term `Office' means the Office of the 
        Farm and Food System Workforce established under subsection 
        (b)(1).
    ``(b) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish within 
        the executive operations of the Department an office, to be 
        known as the `Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce'--
                    ``(A) to improve awareness of and access to 
                programs of the Department for farm and food system 
                workers;
                    ``(B) to improve the language used by the 
                Department and ensure inclusive communication between 
                the Department and farm and food system workers to 
                regularly inform farm and food system workers of 
                relevant policy and changes to policy; and
                    ``(C) to provide recommendations and technical 
                assistance to other Federal departments and agencies 
                with respect to the programs or communications of those 
                departments and agencies relating to farm and food 
                system workers.
            ``(2) Farm and food system workforce coordinator.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Office shall be headed by a 
                Farm and Food System Workforce Coordinator.
                    ``(B) Selection.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
                        clause (ii), the Coordinator shall--
                                    ``(I) be appointed by the 
                                Secretary, in consultation with 
                                organizations that represent farm and 
                                food system workers, from among the 
                                competitive service; and
                                    ``(II) have relevant experience 
                                working with farm and food system 
                                workers.
                            ``(ii) Initial coordinator.--The initial 
                        Coordinator shall be the Farmworker 
                        Coordinator.
                    ``(C) Duties.-- The duties of the Coordinator shall 
                be--
                            ``(i) serving as a liaison to community-
                        based nonprofit organizations, institutions of 
                        higher education, and local educational 
                        agencies that represent and have demonstrated 
                        experience serving farmworkers or food system 
                        workers; and
                            ``(ii) consulting with the Advisory 
                        Committee to integrate farm and food system 
                        worker perspectives, concerns, and interests 
                        into the ongoing programs of the Department.
                    ``(D) Staff.--The Secretary, acting through the 
                Coordinator, shall employ such staff as the Secretary 
                determines necessary to carry out the functions of the 
                Office.
    ``(c) Duties.--The duties of the Office shall be to ensure farm and 
food system workers have access to, and equitable participation in, 
programs and services of the Department by--
            ``(1) establishing and monitoring the goals and objectives 
        of the Department to increase participation in programs of the 
        Department by farm and food system workers;
            ``(2) assisting in administering the program established 
        under section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
        Trade Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 5177a);
            ``(3) coordinating with the Department, other Federal 
        agencies, and State, local, and Tribal governments to ensure 
        that the needs of farm and food system workers are assessed and 
        met during declared disasters and other emergencies, as 
        determined by the Secretary;
            ``(4) assessing the effectiveness with respect to farm and 
        food system workers of Department outreach programs;
            ``(5) developing and implementing a plan to coordinate 
        outreach activities and services provided by the Department 
        with respect to farm and food system workers;
            ``(6) collaborating with and providing input to the 
        agencies and offices of the Department on programmatic and 
        policy decisions relating to and affecting farm and food system 
        workers;
            ``(7) communicating to employers of farm and food system 
        workers, and publicizing on the website of the Department, 
        information about Federal programs for which the employees of 
        those employers may be eligible;
            ``(8) identifying, in consultation with organizations that 
        represent farm and food system workers, research priorities to 
        inform the research activities of the Department relating to, 
        and beneficial to, farm and food system workers;
            ``(9) measuring and analyzing outcomes of the programs and 
        activities of the Department on farm and food system workers;
            ``(10) assisting farmworkers in becoming agricultural 
        operators or landowners;
            ``(11) recommending new initiatives and programs to the 
        Secretary; and
            ``(12) carrying out any other related duties that the 
        Secretary determines to be appropriate.
    ``(d) Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within 
        the Office the Farm and Food System Worker Advisory Committee.
            ``(2) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall provide advice 
        to the Office on--
                    ``(A) integrating farm and food system worker 
                perspectives, concerns, and interests into the ongoing 
                programs of the Department; and
                    ``(B) improving--
                            ``(i) farm and food system worker safety;
                            ``(ii) research programs relating to farm 
                        and food system workers;
                            ``(iii) agricultural education and 
                        technical skills opportunities for farm and 
                        food system workers; and
                            ``(iv) job training programs that assist 
                        farm and food system workers.
            ``(3) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed 
        of not more than 20 members, who shall be appointed by the 
        Secretary from among individuals nominated by the public, and 
        shall include--
                    ``(A) not fewer than 5 farm and food system 
                workers;
                    ``(B) not fewer than 2 civil rights representatives 
                with a history of working on issues relating to farm 
                and food system workers;
                    ``(C) not fewer than 4 representatives of nonprofit 
                organizations with a history of working on issues faced 
                by farmworkers or food system workers, of whom 2 shall 
                have focused expertise on issues faced by women 
                farmworkers or food system workers;
                    ``(D) not fewer than 2 representatives of labor 
                unions with a history of representing farmworkers or 
                food system workers;
                    ``(E) not fewer than 2 representatives of 
                institutions of higher education with demonstrated 
                experience working with farmworkers or food system 
                workers; and
                    ``(F) such other individuals as the Secretary 
                considers to be appropriate.
            ``(4) Limitation.--No member of the Advisory Committee 
        shall be an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
            ``(5) Period of appointment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each member of the Advisory 
                Committee--
                            ``(i) subject to clause (ii) and 
                        subparagraph (B), shall be appointed to a 3-
                        year term; and
                            ``(ii) may be reappointed to not more than 
                        3 consecutive terms.
                    ``(B) Initial staggering.--The first 6 appointments 
                by the Secretary under paragraph (3) shall be for a 2-
                year term.
                    ``(C) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Advisory 
                Committee shall be filled--
                            ``(i) in the same manner as the original 
                        appointment was made; and
                            ``(ii) not more than 90 days after the date 
                        on which the position becomes vacant.
            ``(6) Meetings.--
                    ``(A) In-person meetings.--To the extent 
                practicable, not less than twice each year, the 
                Advisory Committee shall meet in person.
                    ``(B) Office representative.--
                            ``(i) In general.--At least 1 
                        representative from the Office shall be present 
                        at each meeting of the Advisory Committee.
                            ``(ii) Nonvoting capacity.--Any individual 
                        described in clause (i) who is present at a 
                        meeting of the Advisory Committee shall be a 
                        nonvoting representative at the meeting.
                    ``(C) Language access.--Each meeting of the 
                Advisory Committee shall include simultaneous 
                interpretation and translation of the meeting, and the 
                provision of a copy of any agenda of the meeting in 
                such languages as are requested by--
                            ``(i) any member of the Advisory Committee; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) any member of the public observing 
                        the meeting.
            ``(7) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year, 
        the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Secretary, the 
        Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and 
        the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
        Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the 
        Department, in English, Spanish, and any other languages the 
        Coordinator determines to be appropriate, a report that 
        describes--
                    ``(A) the activities of the Advisory Committee 
                during the previous year; and
                    ``(B) recommendations for legislative or 
                administrative action for the following year.
    ``(e) Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency Council.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within 
        the Office the Farm and Food System Workforce Interagency 
        Council.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Interagency Council is 
        to facilitate interagency, cabinet-level leadership in 
        planning, policymaking, coordination, and program development 
        for services available to farm and food system workers.
            ``(3) Membership.--The Interagency Council shall comprise--
                    ``(A) 1 representative from each of--
                            ``(i) the Department of Agriculture;
                            ``(ii) the Department of Health and Human 
                        Services;
                            ``(iii) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                        Development;
                            ``(iv) the Department of Labor;
                            ``(v) the Department of Education;
                            ``(vi) the Environmental Protection Agency;
                            ``(vii) the Department of Homeland 
                        Security;
                            ``(viii) the Department of Justice;
                            ``(ix) the Department of the Treasury;
                            ``(x) the Department of Commerce; and
                            ``(xi) the Department of State; and
                    ``(B) the Coordinator or another representative of 
                the Office.
            ``(4) Meetings.--
                    ``(A) In-person meetings.--To the extent 
                practicable, not less than twice each year, the 
                Interagency Council shall meet in person.
                    ``(B) Office representative.--
                            ``(i) In general.--At least 1 
                        representative from the Office shall be present 
                        at each meeting of the Interagency Council.
                            ``(ii) Nonvoting capacity.--Any individual 
                        described in clause (i) who is present at a 
                        meeting of the Interagency Council shall be a 
                        nonvoting representative at the meeting.
            ``(5) Reports.--Not less frequently than once each year, 
        the Interagency Council shall submit to the Secretary, the 
        Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
        Senate, and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
        Representatives, and make publicly available on the website of 
        the Department, in English, Spanish, and any other languages 
        the Coordinator determines to be appropriate, a report that 
        describes recommendations for legislative or administrative 
        action to be taken during the following year to increase 
        accountability, coordination, compliance, and culture changes 
        at the Federal level to address inequities faced by farm and 
        food system workers.
    ``(f) Liaison Officers.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Office shall appoint staff members 
        to maintain liaison with the following agencies on matters 
        relating to farm and food system workers:
                    ``(A) The Farm Service Agency.
                    ``(B) The Natural Resources Conservation Service.
                    ``(C) The rural development agencies of the 
                Department of Agriculture.
                    ``(D) The National Institute of Food and 
                Agriculture.
                    ``(E) The Food and Nutrition Service.
                    ``(F) The Agricultural Marketing Service.
                    ``(G) The Forest Service.
                    ``(H) The National Agricultural Statistics Service.
                    ``(I) Any other agency that the Coordinator 
                determines to be appropriate.
            ``(2) Plans.--The staff members described in paragraph (1) 
        shall develop plans for review by the Coordinator, the Advisory 
        Committee, and the Interagency Council to increase information, 
        awareness, access, data, and accountability for meeting the 
        needs of farm and food system workers relative to the functions 
        and beneficiaries of each of the agencies described in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (I) of paragraph (1).
    ``(g) Report.--Not less frequently than once each year, the 
Coordinator shall submit to the Secretary, the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly 
available, in English, Spanish, and any other languages the Coordinator 
determines to be appropriate, a report that describes, for the period 
covered by the report--
            ``(1) the activities of the Office and progress made in 
        carrying out the duties of the Office;
            ``(2) the demographic information of farm and food system 
        workers;
            ``(3) the health, education, and economic outcomes for farm 
        and food system workers;
            ``(4) the impacts that heat, natural disasters, drought, 
        and pandemics have on the farm and food systems;
            ``(5) the barriers that farm and food system workers face 
        in accessing Department programs;
            ``(6) recommendations that will improve the work and 
        livelihoods of farm and food system workers; and
            ``(7) any other information determined relevant by the 
        Secretary or the Coordinator.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for 
each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028.''.
    (b) Termination of Farmworker Coordinator Position.--Section 
226B(f) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 
U.S.C. 6934(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Termination of position.--The position of Coordinator 
        shall terminate on the date on which the Secretary certifies 
        that the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce is 
        established under section 226C(b) is appropriately staffed with 
        staff members dedicated to farmworker-specific issues.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 296(b) of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(11) The authority of the Secretary to establish in the 
        Department the Office of the Farm and Food System Workforce in 
        accordance with section 226C.''.
                                 <all>