II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 3420 

To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 

provide for a set-aside for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers 

for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2023 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 

Act of 1994 to provide for a set-aside for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers for grants to support 

urban agriculture and innovative production, and for 

other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Growing Opportunities 

5 for Innovative Farming Act of 2023’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SET-ASIDE FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARM2 ERS AND RANCHERS. 

3 Section 222 of the Department of Agriculture Reor4 ganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6923) is amended by 

5 striking subsection (e) and inserting the following: 

6 ‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 

7 ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

8 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

9 this section and the amendments made by this sec10 tion $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 

11 through 2028. 

12 ‘‘(2) SET-ASIDE.—Of the amounts made avail13 able under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, the 

14 Secretary shall set aside not less than 10 percent to 

15 award grants under subsection (c) to eligible entities 

16 that serve socially disadvantaged farmers and ranch17 ers (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agri18 culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 

19 U.S.C. 2279(a))), in amounts of not less than 

20 $10,000 per grantee per fiscal year.’’. 

21 SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES AND OUT22 REACH FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED 

23 FARMERS AND RANCHERS. 

24 Section 2501(k) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva25 tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(k)) is amend26 ed— 


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1 (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘RE2 PORT’’ and inserting ‘‘REPORTS’’; and 

3 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(3) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year 

5 after the date of enactment of the Growing Opportu6 nities for Innovative Farming Act of 2023, and each 

7 year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 

8 Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep9 resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nu10 trition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describ11 ing— 

12 ‘‘(A) targeted farming opportunities, train13 ing, and outreach practices being carried out by 

14 the Secretary under this section; 

15 ‘‘(B) a list of census tracts that the Sec16 retary has provided technical assistance to 

17 under this section; 

18 ‘‘(C) recommendations to Congress on how 

19 to enhance equity for socially disadvantaged, 

20 small farmers and ranchers; and 

21 ‘‘(D) any other data the Secretary deter22 mines to be necessary to evaluate the benefits 

23 of the technical assistance provided, outreach 


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1 efforts undertaken, and grants awarded under 

2 this section.’’. 

Æ 


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