I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2003

To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make temporary assistance

available to support community food security projects designed to meet

the food needs of low-income people, increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs, and promote comprehensive,

inclusive, and future-oriented solutions to local food, farm, and nutrition

problems.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 11, 1995

Mr. DE LA GARZA (for himself, Mr. EMERSON, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BROWN

of California, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. FARR, Mr. FAZIO of

California, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. FROST, Mr. GEJDENSON,

Mr. HALL of Ohio, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. KENNELLY, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. STENHOLM, and Mr. WILSON) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make temporary

assistance available to support community food security

projects designed to meet the food needs of low-income

people, increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs, and promote comprehensive, inclusive, and future-oriented solutions to local food,

farm, and nutrition problems.

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

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Food Se3 curity Act of 1995’’.

4 SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY

5 PROJECTS.

6 (a) COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PROJECTS DE7 FINED.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘commu8 nity food security project’’ means a community-based

9 project that requires a one-time infusion of Federal assist10 ance to become self-sustaining and that is designed to

11 meet the food needs of low-income people, increase the

12 self-reliance of communities in providing for their own

13 food needs, and promote comprehensive, inclusive, and fu14 ture-oriented solutions to local food, farm, and nutrition

15 problems.

16 (b) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.—The

17 Secretary of Agriculture may make grants to assist eligible

18 entities to establish and carry out community food security

19 projects.

20 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a grant

21 under subsection (b), an entity must meet all of the follow22 ing criteria:

23 (1) The entity must have experience in the area

24 of—

25 (A) community food work, including the

26 development of new markets in low-income com-
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1 munities for agricultural producers, particularly

2 small and medium-sized farms; or

3 (B) job training and business development

4 activities for food-related businesses in low-in5 come communities.

6 (2) The entity must demonstrate competency to

7 implement a project, provide fiscal accountability,

8 collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary

9 documentation.

10 (3) The entity must demonstrate a willingness

11 to participate in an ongoing assessment of regional

12 food security and to share information with re13 searchers, practitioners, and other interested parties.

14 (d) PREFERENCE FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS.—In se15 lecting community food security projects to be supported

16 by grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall give

17 a preference to projects designed—

18 (1) to develop linkages between two or more

19 sectors of the food system;

20 (2) to support the development of entrepreneur21 ial solutions to local food problems;

22 (3) to develop innovative linkages between the

23 for-profit and nonprofit food sectors; or

24 (4) to encourage long-term planning activities

25 and multi-system, interagency approaches.
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1 (e) MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENTS.—

2 (1) REQUIREMENTS.—The Federal share of the

3 cost of establishing or carrying out a community

4 food security project that receives assistance under

5 subsection (b) may not exceed 50 percent of such

6 cost during the term of the grant.

7 (2) CALCULATION.—In providing for the re8 maining share of the cost of carrying out a commu9 nity food security project, the entity receiving the

10 grant shall provide for such share through a pay11 ment in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including

12 facilities, equipment, or services. The entity may

13 provide for such share through private, State, or

14 local sources.

15 (f) TERM OF GRANT.—A particular community food

16 security project may be supported by only a single grant

17 under subsection (b). The term of the grant may not ex18 ceed three years.

19 (g) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RELATED INFOR20 MATION.—The Secretary shall provide technical assistance

21 regarding community food security projects, processes,

22 and development to entities seeking such information. The

23 Secretary shall provide for the sharing of information

24 about community food security projects and issues among

25 and between government, private for-profit and nonprofit
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1 groups, and the public through publications, conferences,

2 and other appropriate forums. The Secretary shall also

3 participate in assessments of regional food security and

4 share information with researchers, practitioners, and

5 other interested parties.

6 (h) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall provide for

7 the evaluation of the success of community food security

8 projects supported using funds under this section. Not

9 later than January 30, 2000, the Secretary shall submit

10 to Congress a report regarding the results of the evalua11 tion.

12 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

13 are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary

14 $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 2000

15 to carry out this section.

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