[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]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      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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