[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1623-S1625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Bennet, 
        Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Casey, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
        Brown of Ohio, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
        Murray, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Sanders):
  S. 3123. A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a program to 
assist eligible schools and nonprofit entities

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through grants and technical assistance to implement farm to school 
programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools; to the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce my Growing Farm 
to School Programs Act of 2010. This important proposal will support 
grassroots efforts all across our Nation to improve the health and 
well-being of children while supporting local farmers and bolstering 
local economies.
  I am pleased to have 13 of my respected Senate colleagues from across 
the country join with me today as original cosponsors of this bill. 
Farm to School is a proven, common-sense, community-driven approach to 
incorporate farm fresh local food into school meals. Schools nationwide 
understand the many benefits of farm to school but often lack the 
startup funding and the technical capacity to plan and implement the 
program. This bill will provide the important seed money and technical 
assistance needed to enable our schools to teach children about good 
nutrition and show them the importance of agriculture while also 
supporting local farms.
  It is amazing how far some farm products travel to get to our school 
cafeterias, and how heavily processed it is when it arrives. While our 
Nation's schools should provide an enormous market for our struggling 
small and mid-sized farmers, for far too long the products grown by our 
family farms have largely been absent from school lunch trays. We 
should not be surprised that many kids today do not understand the link 
between the food they eat and farms on which it is raised. By offering 
our children local, fresh, less-processed choices, and a chance to 
learn how and where their food is grown we can also provide economic 
benefits for small, local farms and keep food dollars within the 
community.
  Communities and schools all across our Nation are beginning to link 
farms and school with great success. In my home State of Vermont, from 
rural towns across the state to the city of Burlington, many of our 
schools have integrated school meals with classroom learning and local 
agriculture. As more schools create these important connections, 
neighboring communities are often also eager to start similar programs. 
Unfortunately many of these schools do not have sufficient staff, 
expertise, equipment, or funding to start a Farm to School program on 
their own. The Growing Farm to Schools Programs Act will provide the 
small amount of funding and technical assistance that these schools 
need to create a program. Once in place, these programs can be expected 
to be self-sustaining.
  In introducing the Growing Farm to School Programs Act of 2010, I am 
hoping that we will be able to provide more communities, schools, and 
farmers the opportunity to grow and cultivate Farm to School programs. 
I thank my 13 co-sponsors and urge my other colleagues to join us in 
support of this exciting initiative.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3123

       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 ``Growing Farm to School 
     Programs Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. ACCESS TO LOCAL FOODS: FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.

       Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections 
     (i) and (j), respectively;
       (2) in subsection (g), by striking ``(g) Access to Local 
     Foods and School Gardens.--'' and all that follows through 
     ``(3) Pilot program for high-poverty schools.--'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(g) Access to Local Foods: Farm to School Program.--
       ``(1) Definition of eligible school.--In this subsection, 
     the term `eligible school' means a school or institution that 
     participates in a program under this Act or the school 
     breakfast program established under section 4 of the Child 
     Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
       ``(2) Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
     assist eligible schools, State and local agencies, Indian 
     tribal organizations, agricultural producers or groups of 
     agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities through grants 
     and technical assistance to implement farm to school programs 
     that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.
       ``(3) Grants.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall award competitive 
     grants under this subsection to be used for--
       ``(i) training;
       ``(ii) supporting operations;
       ``(iii) planning;
       ``(iv) purchasing equipment;
       ``(v) developing school gardens;
       ``(vi) developing partnerships; and
       ``(vii) implementing farm to school programs.
       ``(B) Regional balance.--In making awards under this 
     subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 
     practicable, ensure--
       ``(i) geographical diversity; and
       ``(ii) equitable treatment of urban, rural, and tribal 
     communities.
       ``(C) Maximum amount.--The total amount provided to a grant 
     recipient under this subsection shall not exceed $100,000.
       ``(4) Federal share.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Federal share of costs for a project 
     funded through a grant awarded under this subsection shall 
     not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of the project.
       ``(B) Federal matching.--As a condition of receiving a 
     grant under this subsection, a grant recipient shall provide 
     matching support in the form of cash or in-kind 
     contributions, including facilities, equipment, or services 
     provided by State and local governments, nonprofit 
     organizations, and private sources.
       ``(5) Criteria for selection.--To the maximum extent 
     practicable, in providing assistance under this subsection, 
     the Secretary shall give the highest priority to funding 
     projects that, as determined by the Secretary--
       ``(A) benefit local small- and medium-sized farms;
       ``(B) make local food products available on the menu of the 
     eligible school;
       ``(C) serve a high proportion of children who are eligible 
     for free or reduced price lunches;
       ``(D) incorporate experiential nutrition education 
     activities in curriculum planning that encourage the 
     participation of school children in farm and garden-based 
     agricultural education activities;
       ``(E) demonstrate collaboration between eligible schools, 
     nongovernmental and community-based organizations, 
     agricultural producer groups, and other community partners;
       ``(F) include adequate and participatory evaluation plans;
       ``(G) demonstrate the potential for long-term program 
     sustainability; and
       ``(H) meet any other criteria that the Secretary determines 
     appropriate.
       ``(6) Evaluation.--As a condition of receiving a grant 
     under this subsection, each grant recipient shall agree to 
     cooperate in an evaluation by the Secretary of the program 
     carried out using grant funds.
       ``(7) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
     technical assistance and information to assist eligible 
     schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal 
     organizations, and nonprofit entities--
       ``(A) to facilitate the coordination and sharing of 
     information and resources in the Department that may be 
     applicable to the farm to school program;
       ``(B) to collect and share information on best practices; 
     and
       ``(C) to disseminate research and data on existing farm to 
     school programs and the potential for programs in underserved 
     areas.
       ``(8) Funding.--
       ``(A) In general.--On October 1, 2010, out of any funds in 
     the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the 
     Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary to carry out this 
     subsection $50,000,000, to remain available until expended.
       ``(B) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be 
     entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out 
     this subsection the funds transferred under subparagraph (A), 
     without further appropriation.
       ``(h) Pilot Program for High-Poverty Schools.--
       ``(1) In general.--''; and
       (3) in subsection (h) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))--
       (A) in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) (as so 
     redesignated), by striking ``in accordance with paragraph 
     (1)(H)'' and inserting ``carried out by the Secretary''; and
       (B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2).

     SEC. 3. BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

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