I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4671 

To assist and incentivize organic agriculture by expanding its access to, 

and eligibility for, Federal rural development and agricultural loan programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2017 

Mr. DUFFY (for himself and Mr. WELCH) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To assist and incentivize organic agriculture by expanding 

its access to, and eligibility for, Federal rural development and agricultural loan programs. 

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 ‘‘Organic Farmers Ac5 cess Act’’. 


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•HR 4671 IH

1 SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ACCESS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 

2 TO, AND ELIGIBILITY OF ORGANIC AGRI3 CULTURE FOR, FEDERAL RURAL DEVELOP4 MENT AND AGRICULTURAL LOAN PROGRAMS. 

5 (a) RURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.— 

6 Section 310B(c)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 

7 Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)(3)) is amended— 

8 (1) in subparagraph (A)— 

9 (A) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

10 end; and 

11 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘(vi) expand access to capital, infra13 structure and technical expertise for, and 

14 expand market connections between cer15 tified organic farms (as defined in section 

16 2103(4) of the Organic Foods Production 

17 Act of 1990) and certified organic han18 dling operations (as defined in section 

19 2103(5) of such Act); and’’; and 

20 (2) in subparagraph (B)— 

21 (A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

22 end; 

23 (B) in clause (iv), by striking the period 

24 and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

25 (C) by adding at the end the following: 


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•HR 4671 IH

1 ‘‘(v) expanded access to capital, infra2 structure and technical expertise for, and 

3 market connections between, certified or4 ganic farms (as defined in section 2103(4) 

5 of the Organic Foods Production Act of 

6 1990) and certified organic handling oper7 ations (as defined in section 2103(5) of 

8 such Act).’’. 

9 (b) LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY PRODUCED AGRI10 CULTURAL FOOD PRODUCTS.—Section 310B(g)(9)(B)(iii) 

11 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 

12 U.S.C. 1932(g)(9)(B)(iii)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, or 

13 certified organic farms (as defined in section 2103(4) of 

14 the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990) or certified 

15 organic handling operations (as defined in section 2103(5) 

16 of such Act)’’ before the period. 

17 (c) VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT MAR18 KET DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.—Section 231(b)(6)(A) of 

19 the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (7 U.S.C. 

20 1632a(b)(6)(A)) is amended— 

21 (1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

22 (2) in clause (iv), by striking the period and in23 serting ‘‘; and’’; and 

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


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•HR 4671 IH

1 ‘‘(v) certified organic farms (as de2 fined in section 2103(4) of the Organic 

3 Foods Production Act of 1990) or certified 

4 organic handling operations (as defined in 

5 section 2103(5) of such Act).’’. 

Æ 


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