I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 562 

To establish a Department of Agriculture loan program to support mentorship 

and apprenticeship opportunities for veterans of the Armed Forces to 

become farmers or ranchers. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 15, 2019 

Mr. BOST (for himself and Mr. LAWSON of Florida) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 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 

A BILL 

To establish a Department of Agriculture loan program to 

support mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities for 

veterans of the Armed Forces to become farmers or 

ranchers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Agricultural 

5 Apprenticeship Act of 2019’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MENTORSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 

2 FOR VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO 

3 BECOME FARMERS AND RANCHERS. 

4 (a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Agri5 culture shall establish a program to make direct loans to 

6 farmers and ranchers who will provide mentorship and ap7 prenticeship opportunities for veterans of the Armed 

8 Forces to learn the skills necessary to become a successful 

9 farmer or rancher. 

10 (b) AGREEMENTS WITH STATES.—The Secretary of 

11 Agriculture shall carry out the mentorship and apprentice12 ship program through agreements with State departments 

13 of agriculture that will— 

14 (1) select veterans to participate in the pro15 gram; 

16 (2) secure established farmers and ranchers to 

17 provide the mentorship and apprenticeship opportu18 nities; and 

19 (3) make and administer direct loans to support 

20 the resulting mentorship and apprenticeship. 

21 (c) ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT.—As a condition of a loan 

22 under the mentorship and apprenticeship program, a par23 ticipating veteran must be allowed to materially and sub24 stantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch 

25 providing the mentorship and apprenticeship opportuni26 ties. 


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1 (d) TERMS OF LOANS.— 

2 (1) INTEREST RATE.—A loan under the 

3 mentorship and apprenticeship program shall be 

4 made without interest. 

5 (2) TERM AND REPAYMENT.—The term of a 

6 loan under the program may not exceed one year 

7 and the loan shall be repaid after the harvest season 

8 in such installments as the Secretary may require. 

9 (e) SOURCE OF FUNDS.—Of the amounts appro10 priated for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 to fund 

11 operation of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture, the 

12 Secretary shall use $1,000,000 each of such fiscal years 

13 to carry out this section. 

14 (f) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT.—Not later 

15 than March 1, 2023, the Comptroller General of the 

16 United States shall submit to the Committee on Agri17 culture of the House of Representatives and the Com18 mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen19 ate a report evaluating the effectiveness of the mentorship 

20 and apprenticeship program in assisting veterans who par21 ticipate in the program in becoming farmers and ranchers. 

22 (g) VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

23 ‘‘veteran’’ means an individual who has served in the 

24 Armed Forces (as defined in section 101(10) of title 38, 


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1 United States Code) and who has not previously operated 

2 a farm or ranch. 

Æ 


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