§ 2279. Farming opportunities training and outreach

§ 2279. Farming opportunities training and outreach

(a) Definitions In this section:

(1) Agricultural programs The term “agricultural programs” are those established or authorized by—

(A) the Agricultural Act of 1949 [7 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.];

(B) the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act [7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.];

(C) the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 [7 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.];

(D) the Soil Conservation Act;

(E) the Domestic Allotment Assistance Act;

(F) the Food Security Act of 1985; and

(G) other such Acts as the Secretary deems appropriate.

(2) Beginning farmer or rancher The term “beginning farmer or rancher” means a person that—

(A)

(i) has not operated a farm or ranch; or

(ii) has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years; and

(B) meets such other criteria as the Secretary may establish.

(3) Department The term “Department” means the Department of Agriculture.

(4) Secretary The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(5) Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher The term “socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group.

(6) Socially disadvantaged group The term “socially disadvantaged group” means a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities.

(7) Veteran farmer or rancher The term “veteran farmer or rancher” means a farmer or rancher who has served in the Armed Forces (as defined in section 101(10) of title 38) and who—

(A) has not operated a farm or ranch;

(B) has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years; or

(C) is a veteran (as defined in section 101 of that title) who has first obtained status as a veteran (as so defined) during the most recent 10-year period.

(b) Farming opportunities training and outreach The Secretary shall carry out this section to encourage and assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers and ranchers, and beginning farmers and ranchers in the ownership and operation of farms and ranches through—

(1) education and training; and

(2) equitable participation in all agricultural programs of the Department.

(c) Outreach and assistance for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers

(1) Eligible entity In this subsection, the term “eligible entity” means any of the following:

(A) Any community-based organization, network, or coalition of community-based organizations that—

(i) has demonstrated experience in providing agricultural education or other agriculturally related services to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers;

(ii) has provided to the Secretary documentary evidence of work with, and on behalf of, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers during the 3-year period preceding the submission of an application for assistance under this subsection; and

(iii) does not engage in activities prohibited under section 501(c)(3) of title 26.

(B) An 1890 institution or 1994 institution (as defined in section 7601 of this title), including West Virginia State College.

(C) An Indian tribal community college or an Alaska Native cooperative college.

(D) An Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in section 3103 of this title).

(E) Any other institution of higher education (as defined in section 1001 of title 20) that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally related services to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in a region.

(F) An Indian tribe (as defined in section 5304 of title 25) or a national tribal organization that has demonstrated experience in providing agriculture education or other agriculturally related services to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in a region.

(G) An organization or institution that received funding under subsection (a) before January 1, 1996, but only with respect to projects that the Secretary considers are similar to projects previously carried out by the organization or institution under such subsection.

(2) Program Using funds made available under subsection (l), the Secretary of Agriculture shall, for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, carry out an outreach and technical assistance program to encourage and assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers—

(A) in owning and operating farms and ranches; and

(B) in participating equitably in the full range of agricultural, forestry, and related programs offered by the Department.

(3) Requirements The outreach and technical assistance program under paragraph (2) shall be used exclusively—

(A) to enhance coordination of the outreach, technical assistance, and education efforts authorized under agriculture programs; and

(B) to assist the Secretary in—

(i) reaching current and prospective socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers in a linguistically appropriate manner; and

(ii) improving the participation of those farmers and ranchers in Department programs, as reported under section 2279–1 of this title.

(4) Grants and contracts

(A) Outreach and technical assistance The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts and other agreements with, an eligible entity that has demonstrated an ability to carry out the requirements described in paragraph (3) to provide outreach and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers under this subsection.

(B) Relationship to other law The authority to carry out this section shall be in addition to any other authority provided in this or any other Act.

(C) Other projects Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts and other agreements with, an organization or institution that received funding under this section before January 1, 1996, to carry out a project that is similar to a project for which the organization or institution received such funding.

(D) Report The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and make publicly available, an annual report that includes a list of the following:

(i) The recipients of funds made available under the program.

(ii) The activities undertaken and services provided.

(iii) The number of current and prospective socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers served and outcomes of such service.

(iv) The problems and barriers identified by entities in trying to increase participation by current and prospective socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.

(v) The number of farms or ranches started, maintained, or improved as a result of funds made available under the program.

(vi) Actions taken by the Secretary in partnership with eligible entities to enhance participation in agricultural programs by veteran farmers or ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.

(vii) The effectiveness of the actions described in clause (vi).

(E) Maximum term and amount of grant, contract, or agreement A grant, contract, or agreement entered into under subparagraph (A) shall be—

(i) for a term of not longer than 3 years; and

(ii) in an amount that is not more than $250,000 for each year of the grant, contract, or agreement.

(F) Priority In making grants and entering into contracts and other agreements under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give priority to nongovernmental and community-based organizations with an expertise in working with socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers or veteran farmers and ranchers.

(G) Regional balance To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure the geographical diversity of eligible entities to which grants are made and contracts and other agreements are entered into under subparagraph (A).

(H) Prohibition A grant, contract, or other agreement under subparagraph (A) may not be used for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility.

(I) Peer review The Secretary shall establish a fair and efficient external peer review process that—

(i) the Secretary shall use in making grants and entering into contracts and other agreements under subparagraph (A); and

(ii) shall include a broad representation of peers of the eligible entity.

(J) Input from eligible entities The Secretary shall seek input from eligible entities providing technical assistance under this subsection not less than once each year to ensure that the program is responsive to the eligible entities providing that technical assistance.

(5) Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center The Secretary shall award a grant to a college or university eligible to receive funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee University, to establish a policy research center to be known as the “Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center” for the purpose of developing policy recommendations for the protection and promotion of the interests of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

(d) Beginning farmer and rancher development grant program

(1) In general Using funds made available under subsection (l), the Secretary, acting through the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, shall, for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, make competitive grants or enter into cooperative agreements to support new and established local and regional training, education, outreach, and technical assistance initiatives to increase opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers.

(2) Included programs and services Initiatives described in paragraph (1) may include programs or services, as appropriate, relating to—

(A) basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practices;

(B) innovative farm, ranch, and private, nonindustrial forest land transfer and succession strategies;

(C) entrepreneurship and business training;

(D) technical assistance to help beginning farmers or ranchers acquire land from retiring farmers and ranchers;

(E) financial and risk management training, including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit;

(F) natural resource management and planning;

(G) diversification and marketing strategies;

(H) curriculum development;

(I) mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships;

(J) resources and referral;

(K) farm financial benchmarking;

(L) agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veteran farmers and ranchers;

(M) farm safety and awareness;

(N) food safety and recordkeeping; and

(O) other similar subject areas of use to beginning farmers and ranchers.

(3) Eligibility

(A) In general To be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this subsection, the recipient of the grant or participant in the cooperative agreement shall be a collaborative State, Tribal, local, or regionally-based network or partnership of public or private entities.

(B) Inclusions A recipient of a grant or a participant that enters into a cooperative agreement described in subparagraph (A) may include—

(i) a State cooperative extension service;

(ii) a Federal, State, municipal, or Tribal agency;

(iii) a community-based or nongovernmental organization;

(iv) a college or university (including an institution awarding an associate’s degree) or foundation maintained by a college or university; or

(v) any other appropriate partner, as determined by the Secretary.

(4) Terms of grants or cooperative agreement A grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection shall—

(A) be for a term of not longer than 3 years; and

(B) provide not more than $250,000 for each year.

(5) Matching requirement

(A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), to be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a cooperative agreement under this subsection, a recipient or participant shall provide a match in the form of cash or in-kind contributions in an amount equal to 25 percent of the funds provided by the grant or cooperative agreement.

(B) Exception The Secretary may waive or reduce the matching requirement in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines such a waiver or modification is necessary to effectively reach an underserved area or population.

(6) Evaluation criteria In making grants or entering into cooperative agreements under this subsection, the Secretary shall evaluate, with respect to applications for the grants or cooperative agreements—

(A) relevancy;

(B) technical merit;

(C) achievability;

(D) the expertise and track record of 1 or more applicants;

(E) the consultation of beginning farmers and ranchers in design, implementation, and decisionmaking relating to an initiative described in paragraph (1);

(F) the adequacy of plans for—

(i) a participatory evaluation process;

(ii) outcome-based reporting; and

(iii) the communication of findings and results beyond the immediate target audience; and

(G) other appropriate factors, as determined by the Secretary.

(7) Regional balance To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure the geographical diversity of recipients of grants or participants in cooperative agreements under this subsection.

(8) Priority In making grants or entering into cooperative agreements under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to partnerships and collaborations that are led by or include nongovernmental, community-based organizations and school-based educational organizations with expertise in new agricultural producer training and outreach.

(9) Prohibition A grant made or cooperative agreement entered into under this subsection may not be used for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility.

(10) Coordination permitted A recipient of a grant or participant in a cooperative agreement under this subsection may coordinate with a recipient of a grant or cooperative agreement under section 5933 of this title in addressing the needs of veteran farmers and ranchers with disabilities.

(11) Consecutive awards A grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection may be made to a recipient or participant for consecutive years.

(12) Peer review

(A) In general The Secretary shall establish a fair and efficient external peer review process, which the Secretary shall use in making grants or entering into cooperative agreements under this subsection.

(B) Requirement The peer review process under subparagraph (A) shall include a review panel composed of a broad representation of peers of the applicant for the grant or cooperative agreement that are not applying for a grant or cooperative agreement under this subsection.

(13) Participation by other farmers and ranchers Nothing in this subsection prohibits the Secretary from allowing a farmer or rancher who is not a beginning farmer or rancher (including an owner or operator that has ended, or expects to end within 5 years, active labor in a farming or ranching operation as a producer, retiring farmers, and non-farming landowners) from participating in a program or service under this subsection, to the extent that the Secretary determines that such participation—

(A) is appropriate; and

(B) will not detract from the primary purpose of increasing opportunities for beginning farmers and ranchers.

(14) Education teams

(A) In general The Secretary shall establish beginning farmer and rancher education teams to develop curricula, conduct educational programs and workshops for beginning farmers and ranchers in diverse geographical areas of the United States, or provide training and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers or ranchers or for trainers and service providers that work with beginning farmers or ranchers.

(B) Curriculum In promoting the development of curricula, educational programs and workshops, or training and technical assistance initiatives under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, include content tailored to specific audiences of beginning farmers and ranchers, based on crop diversity or regional diversity.

(C) Composition In establishing an education team under subparagraph (A) for a specific program or workshop, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable—

(i) obtain the short-term services of specialists with knowledge and expertise in programs serving beginning farmers and ranchers; and

(ii) use officers and employees of the Department with direct experience in programs of the Department that may be taught as part of the curriculum for the program or workshop.

(D) Cooperation

(i) In general In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall cooperate, to the maximum extent practicable, with—

(I) State cooperative extension services;

(II) Federal, State, and Tribal agencies;

(III) community-based and nongovernmental organizations;

(IV) colleges and universities (including an institution awarding an associate’s degree) or foundations maintained by a college or university; and

(V) other appropriate partners, as determined by the Secretary.

(ii) Cooperative agreements The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement to reflect the terms of any cooperation under subparagraph (A).

(15) Curriculum and training clearinghouse The Secretary shall establish an online clearinghouse that makes available to beginning farmers and ranchers education curricula and training materials and programs, which may include online courses for direct use by beginning farmers and ranchers.

(e) Application requirements In making grants and entering into contracts and other agreements, as applicable, under subsections (c) and (d), the Secretary shall make available a simplified application process for an application for a grant that requests less than $50,000.

(f) Stakeholder input In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall seek stakeholder input from—

(1) beginning farmers and ranchers;

(2) socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers;

(3) veteran farmers and ranchers;

(4) national, State, Tribal, and local organizations and other persons with expertise in operating programs for—

(A) beginning farmers and ranchers;

(B) socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; or

(C) veteran farmers and ranchers;