Bill Sponsor
House Bill 3941
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Local FARMS Act
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in House on Oct 4, 2017
Overview
Text
Introduced
Oct 4, 2017
Latest Action
Oct 4, 2017
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
3941
Congress
115
Policy Area
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture and Food
Primary focus of measure is agricultural practices; agricultural prices and marketing; agricultural education; food assistance or nutrition programs; food industry, supply, and safety; aquaculture; horticulture and plants. Measures concerning international trade in agricultural products may fall under Foreign Trade and International Finance policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Maine
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
California
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
Michigan
Democrat
New Hampshire
Democrat
New Hampshire
Democrat
New York
Democrat
North Carolina
Democrat
Wisconsin
House Votes (0)
Senate Votes (0)
No House votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Local Food And Regional Market Supply Act or the Local FARMS Act

This bill consolidates, modifies, and authorizes several Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs to expand regional or local food markets and implement food safety practices.

The bill authorizes and provides mandatory funding for a new Agricultural Market Development Program that is administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and consolidates:

  • the Farmers' Market and Local Food Promotion Program,
  • Value-Added Producer Grants,
  • regional food chain coordination, and
  • public-private partnerships to plan and develop regional food systems.

The bill modifies the Food Safety Outreach Program to move the program to the AMS, provide mandatory funding, and expand the project priorities.

The bill also:

  • establishes a national food safety cost-share program;
  • reauthorizes the National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program;
  • authorizes rural development grants and loans to be used for meat, dairy, and poultry processing infrastructure;
  • allows institutions participating in the school food programs to use locally grown, locally raised, or locally caught as a product specification;
  • authorizes grants for produce prescription programs for low-income individuals and households; and
  • reauthorizes the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and expands eligibility to include low-income veterans.

The bill modifies the Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program to: (1) require the majority of funds to be reserved for national or regional programs involving multiple states, and (2) expand the purposes of the program to include food waste reduction.

Text (1)
October 4, 2017
Actions (2)
10/04/2017
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
10/04/2017
Introduced in House
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:38:29 PM