Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a program for the procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables to provide healthier school meals, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019 2. Program for procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables Section 6(f) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1755(f) (1) in the subsection heading, by striking Pilot project for procurement of Program for procurement of domestically grown (2) in paragraph (1)— (A) by striking conduct a pilot project carry out a program (referred to in this subsection as the program (B) by inserting domestically grown unprocessed (C) by striking more than 8 less than 15 (3) by striking pilot project program (4) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting domestically grown unprocessed (5) in paragraph (5)— (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking Recordkeeping and reporting Recordkeeping, reporting, and evaluation (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) in clause (i), by striking and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (iii) the challenges and opportunities presented by the program in the State. ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (C) Program evaluation (i) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall evaluate the impact of the program, including with respect to— (I) the quantity and cost of each type of unprocessed fruit and vegetable procured by each State under the program; (II) the benefit of the procured unprocessed fruits and vegetables to school food service in each State, including the benefit to meeting school meal requirements; and (III) the economic impact of the program on agricultural producers in the State. (ii) Report Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, 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 a report that describes the results of the evaluation conducted under clause (i) and an analysis of that evaluation. ; and (6) by adding at the end the following: (6) Funding (A) Mandatory funding There is appropriated to carry out this subsection $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (B) Reservation Of the funds appropriated under subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year, $10,000,000 shall be reserved for States selected under the program under paragraph (1) to carry out the activities described in subparagraph (C)(i). (C) Administrative costs; technical assistance (i) In general The funds reserved under subparagraph (B) shall be used— (I) for the administrative costs of carrying out the program; and (II) to provide technical assistance and outreach to vendors to become certified to participate in the program. (ii) Minimum allotment Of the funds reserved under subparagraph (B), each State selected under paragraph (3)(A) shall receive not less than $300,000 for each fiscal year during which the State participates in the program. .

Summary: Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to make permanent, and expand to at least 15 states, the program to provide more flexibility for states participating in the National School Lunch Program to purchase domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables. The bill also provides additional mandatory funding for the program.