I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4012 
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to establish 
a community-supported agriculture promotion program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2012 
Mr. WELCH (for himself, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Ms. PINGREE of Maine) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 
to establish a community-supported agriculture pro-
motion program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community-Supported 
Agriculture Promotion Act’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 
2. 
COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED 
AGRICULTURE 
PRO-
MOTION PROGRAM. 
Subtitle A of title X of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008 (122 Stat. 2097; Public Law 110– 
246) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 10110. COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PRO-
MOTION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CSA.—The term ‘CSA’ means a farm op-
erated in a manner consistent with community-sup-
ported agriculture, as defined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.—The term 
‘nonprofit organization’ means an organization, 
group, institute, or institution that qualifies as an 
organization described in section 501(c) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986, and is exempt from tax-
ation under section 501(a) of that Code. 
‘‘(3) PROGRAM.—The term ‘Program’ means 
the Community-Supported Agriculture Promotion 
Program established under subsection (b). 
‘‘(4) UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘underserved community’ means a community (in-
cluding an urban or rural community or an Indian 
tribe) that, as determined by the Secretary, has— 
‘‘(A) limited access to affordable, healthy 
foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) a high incidence of a diet-related dis-
ease (including obesity) as compared to the na-
tional average; 
‘‘(C) a high rate of hunger or food insecu-
rity; or 
‘‘(D) severe or persistent poverty. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall carry 
out a program, to be known as the ‘Community-Supported 
Agriculture Promotion Program’, to promote community- 
supported agriculture. 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Pro-
gram are— 
‘‘(1) to assist in the improvement or expansion 
of existing CSAs; 
‘‘(2) to assist in the development of new CSAs; 
‘‘(3) to enhance the economic viability of agri-
cultural producers; 
‘‘(4) to enhance the relationship between con-
sumers and agricultural producers; 
‘‘(5) to encourage outreach and education ac-
tivities that develop consumer interest in CSA par-
ticipation; 
‘‘(6) to assist in the development, improvement, 
or expansion of innovative delivery and distribution 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
programs that stimulate consumer interest in CSA 
participation; and 
‘‘(7) to assist in the development, improvement, 
and expansion of multifarm CSAs that— 
‘‘(A) allow agricultural producers to con-
centrate on the production of a few crops or the 
development of value-added products; and 
‘‘(B) stimulate consumer interest in CSA 
participation by offering an increased variety of 
products. 
‘‘(d) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity shall be eligible 
to receive a grant under the Program if the entity is— 
‘‘(1) a nonprofit organization; 
‘‘(2) an extension service program operated 
through an institution of higher education (as de-
fined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); 
‘‘(3) an agricultural producer; 
‘‘(4) a State or local government; 
‘‘(5) a public benefit corporation; or 
‘‘(6) such other entity as the Secretary may 
designate. 
‘‘(e) CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES.— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish criteria to evaluate and rank proposed projects 
under the Program. 
‘‘(2) PREFERENCE.—In developing the criteria, 
the Secretary shall emphasize support for— 
‘‘(A) public entities and nonprofit organi-
zations that propose in an application to pro-
vide substantial financial and technical assist-
ance directly to CSAs from individual- or fam-
ily-operated farms; 
‘‘(B) CSAs from individually operated or 
family-operated farms; 
‘‘(C) the expansion of CSAs into under-
served communities; 
‘‘(D) CSAs operated by or employing vet-
erans (as defined in section 101 of title 38, 
United States Code); and 
‘‘(E) the development, improvement, or ex-
pansion of innovative delivery and distribution 
programs that stimulate consumer interest in 
CSA participation. 
‘‘(f) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds of the Com-
modity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use 
to carry out this section— 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; 
‘‘(B) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2013 through 2015; and 
‘‘(C) $15,000,000 for each fiscal years 
2016 through 2018. 
‘‘(2) INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COORDINATION.— 
In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall 
ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, coordi-
nation between the applicable agencies.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:16 Feb 10, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4012.IH
H4012
pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with BILLS