[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1120-S1122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. Cochran):
S. 569. A bill to reauthorize the farm to school program, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry.
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, 5 years ago, the President signed into law
the Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act. This law has made improvements to
our school lunch program by making healthy food choices a reality for
students nationwide. One of the best ways to help students make healthy
choices is to teach them about their food and how it is grown. That is
why I championed the inclusion of funding for a farm-to-school grant
program, which was included in the Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act.
The program has had tremendous success and interest nationwide, and has
awarded grants in 42 States--showing the reach and diversity of farm-
to-school. In order to improve upon this successful program and expand
its reach, I am glad to be joined today by Senator Cochran, and
Representatives Fudge and Fortenberry in the House, to introduce the
Farm to School Act of 2015.
We all know that hungry children cannot learn. Studies have shown
that healthy nutrition in a young person's diet is crucial to cognitive
ability and better health in the long run. With food insecurity on the
rise, more than 30 percent of all children in the United States
struggle with obesity, resulting in poor health, and learning and
behavioral difficulties at school. The school meal program has made
tremendous strides in recent years to ensure not only that children
have access to meals throughout the school day, but that those meals
are nutritious. The Farm to School program has given children and
schools across the country the tools to craft farm-fresh, healthy, and
delicious meals that students enjoy.
The Farm to School grant program offers support to farmers and local
economies, while teaching kids about nutritious foods and where they
come
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from. The program has helped schools across the country meet the new
nutrition standards by offering children local, fresh produce that
tastes great. Just as importantly, the program has a strong educational
component, making our school cafeterias an extension of the classroom,
giving students an opportunity to learn about nutrition, well-balanced
meals, and even how to grow the food themselves.
In Vermont, I have seen first-hand how farm to school efforts have
better connected children with the food in their cafeteria. Students
participate in school gardens, sustainability projects, and taste tests
for new school menu items. The Burlington School Food Project created a
half-acre Healthy City Youth Farm, connecting schools to the farm by
engaging individuals in local agricultural production. Organizations in
Vermont such as Vermont Food Education Every Day, now the Northeast
regional leader of the National Farm to School Network; Shelburne
Farms; and the Northeast Organic Farming Association have been able to
expand their programs to link more farms to the classroom throughout
Vermont.
Farm to school is equally crucial to farmers and ranchers, who
currently receive only 16 cents out of every dollar spent on food. The
program opens another market to them to sell their locally grown and
locally harvested goods. By incorporating farm fresh products in school
meals, children learn the importance of where their food comes from.
The program links the classroom with the farm to engage students in the
importance of farming and contributing to the local economy.
The Farm to School Act of 2015 would build upon these successes and
expand the program's scope by increasing the funding for the program to
$15 million per year. The bill also recognizes the importance of
growing the program to include preschools, summer food service program
sites, and after school programs.
Improving childhood nutrition is a goal we all share. Small changes
in eating habits by children will result in lifelong health benefits
for generations to come. The Farm to School program empowers children
and their families to make healthy choices now and in the future. As
the Senate begins considering reauthorizing the child nutrition bill
this year, I look forward to including these improvements in the Farm
to School program.
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. 569
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 ``Farm to School Act of
2015''.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO LOCAL FOODS: FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
Section 18(g) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking the paragraph designation and heading and
all that follows through ``In this subsection, the'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Agricultural producer.--The term `agricultural
producer' means a farmer, rancher, or fisher (including of
farm-raised fish).
``(B) Eligible school.--The''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated), by inserting
``, including the summer food service program for children
under section 13 and the early care and afterschool portions
of the child and adult care food program under section 17,''
after ``under this Act'';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and nonprofit entities
through grants and technical assistance'' and inserting
``land-grant colleges and universities, and nonprofit
entities through grants, technical assistance, and
research'';
(3) in paragraph (3)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ``and technical
assistance'' after ``training'';
(ii) by redesignating clauses (vi) and (vii) as clauses
(vii) and (viii), respectively; and
(iii) by inserting after clause (v) the following:
``(vi) implementing agricultural literacy and nutrition
education;''; and
(B) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the
following:
``(C) Improved procurement and distribution.--
``(i) In general.--In awarding grants under this
subsection, the Secretary shall seek to improve local food
procurement and distribution options for agricultural
producers and eligible schools.
``(ii) Aggregation, processing, transportation, and
distribution.--In advancing local food procurement options
and other farm to school objectives, the Secretary may
provide funding for projects that include innovative
approaches to aggregation, processing, transportation, and
distribution.
``(D) Awards.--
``(i) Maximum amount.--The total amount provided to a grant
recipient under this subsection shall not exceed $200,000.
``(ii) Term.--The term of an award shall not exceed 3
years.
``(iii) Purpose and scope.--In making awards under this
subsection, the Secretary shall seek to make awards of
diverse amounts and duration in order to best match the award
to the purpose and scope of the project to be funded.
``(E) Limitation.--The Secretary may not award a grant
under this subsection if the grant funds would be used solely
for the purpose of carrying out a conference.'';
(4) in paragraph (5)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (G) as
clauses (i) through (vii), respectively, and indenting the
clauses appropriately;
(B) in clause (ii) (as so redesignated), by striking
``lunches'' and inserting ``meals'';
(C) in the matter preceding clause (i) (as so
redesignated), by striking ``To the maximum extent
practicable'' and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable'';
(D) in clause (vi) (as so redesignated), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(E) by redesignating clause (vii) (as so redesignated) as
clause (viii);
(F) by inserting after clause (vi) (as so redesignated) the
following:
``(vii) expand the selection of local commodities for
eligible schools; and''; and
(G) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Tribal community projects.--In the case of projects
serving tribal communities, the Secretary shall, to the
maximum extent practicable, give highest priority to projects
that best use products from tribal agricultural producers, as
determined by the Secretary.'';
(5) in paragraph (7)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) as
clauses (i) through (iii), respectively, and indenting
appropriately;
(B) by striking the paragraph designation and heading and
all that follows through ``nonprofit entities--'' and
inserting the following:
``(7) Technical assistance and research.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance, research, and information to assist eligible
schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal
organizations, agricultural producers or agricultural
producer groups, and nonprofit entities--'';
(C) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated)--
(i) in clause (ii) (as so redesignated), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(ii) in clause (iii) (as so redesignated), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) to increase awareness of, and participation in, farm
to school programs among agricultural and aquaculture
producers or agricultural producer groups, including
beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers.''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Review.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Farm to School Act of 2015 and every 3 years
thereafter, the Secretary shall review and submit to the
Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education and
the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate a report that describes the progress that has been
made in identifying and eliminating regulatory and other
barriers related to developing farm to school programs.
``(ii) Requirements.--In preparing the report, the
Secretary shall examine--
``(I) the direct and indirect regulatory compliance costs
affecting the production and marketing of locally or
regionally produced agricultural food products to school food
programs; and
``(II) barriers to local and regional market access for
small-scale production.'';
(6) in paragraph (8)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``$5,000,000'' and
inserting ``$15,000,000''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Administration.--Of the funds provided to the
Secretary under subparagraph (A), not more than 5 percent may
be used to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary
in carrying out this subsection.''; and
(7) in paragraph (9), by striking ``2011 through 2015'' and
inserting ``2016 through 2021''.
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