178 
account for geographic differences among 
States, if such adjustments— 
‘‘(i) meet the purposes of the pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(ii) continue to maximize the benefit 
of the Federal investment under the pro-
gram.’’. 
(3) AGREEMENTS WITH ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
Section 1265B(b)(4) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865b(b)(4)) is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘and the 
agricultural use of the land that is subject 
to the agricultural land easement’’ after 
‘‘the program’’; and 
(ii) by striking clauses (iii) and (iv) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(iii) include a right of enforcement 
for the Secretary that— 
‘‘(I) may be used only if the 
terms and conditions of the easement 
are not enforced by the eligible entity; 
and 
‘‘(II) does not extend to a right 
of inspection unless the holder of the
179 
easement fails to provide monitoring 
reports in a timely manner; 
‘‘(iv) include a conservation plan only 
for any portion of the land subject to the 
agricultural land easement that is highly 
erodible cropland; and’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by inserting 
‘‘in the case of fraud or gross negligence,’’ be-
fore ‘‘the Secretary may require’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) MINERAL DEVELOPMENT.—Upon re-
quest by an eligible entity, the Secretary shall 
allow, under an agreement under this sub-
section, mineral development on land subject to 
the agricultural land easement, if the Secretary 
determines that the mineral development— 
‘‘(i) has limited and localized effects; 
‘‘(ii) is not irremediably destructive of 
significant conservation interests; and 
‘‘(iii) would not alter or affect the to-
pography or landscape. 
‘‘(G) ENVIRONMENTAL
SERVICES
MAR-
KETS.—The 
Secretary 
may 
not 
prohibit, 
through an agreement under this subsection, an 
owner of land subject to the agricultural land
180 
easement from participating in, and receiving 
compensation from, an environmental services 
market if a purpose of the market is the facili-
tation of additional conservation benefits that 
are consistent with the purposes of the pro-
gram.’’. 
(4) CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
Section 1265B(b)(5) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865b(b)(5)) is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iv) allow a certified eligible entity to 
use its own terms and conditions, notwith-
standing paragraph (4)(C), as long as the 
terms and conditions are consistent with 
the purposes of the program.’’; and 
(B) by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
as follows:
181 
‘‘(B) CERTIFICATION CRITERIA.—In order 
to be certified, an eligible entity shall dem-
onstrate to the Secretary that the entity— 
‘‘(i) is a land trust that has— 
‘‘(I) been accredited by the Land 
Trust Accreditation Commission, or 
by an equivalent accrediting body (as 
determined by the Secretary); and 
‘‘(II) acquired not fewer than five 
agricultural land easements under the 
program; or 
‘‘(ii) will maintain, at a minimum, for 
the duration of the agreement— 
‘‘(I) a plan for administering 
easements that is consistent with the 
purpose of the program; 
‘‘(II) the capacity and resources 
to monitor and enforce agricultural 
land easements; and 
‘‘(III) policies and procedures to 
ensure— 
‘‘(aa) the long-term integrity 
of agricultural land easements on 
land subject to such easements;
182 
‘‘(bb) timely completion of 
acquisitions of such easements; 
and 
‘‘(cc) timely and complete 
evaluation and reporting to the 
Secretary on the use of funds 
provided under the program.’’. 
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 1265B(d) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865b(d)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may 
provide technical assistance, if requested, to assist in com-
pliance with the terms and conditions of easements.’’. 
SEC. 2604. WETLAND RESERVE EASEMENTS. 
Section 1265C(b)(5)(D)(i)(III) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865c(b)(5)(D)(i)(III)) is amend-
ed by inserting after ‘‘under subsection (f)’’ the following: 
‘‘or a grazing management plan that is consistent with 
the wetland reserve easement plan and has been reviewed, 
and modified as necessary, at least every five years’’. 
SEC. 2605. ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) INELIGIBLE LAND.—Section 1265D(a)(4) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865d(a)(4)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or off-site’’; and
183 
(2) by striking ‘‘proposed or’’ and inserting 
‘‘permitted or’’. 
(b) SUBORDINATION, EXCHANGE, MODIFICATION, 
AND TERMINATION.— 
(1) SUBORDINATION AND EXCHANGE.—Section 
1265D(c)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3865d(c)(1)) is amended— 
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
‘‘IN GENERAL’’ and inserting ‘‘SUBORDINATION 
AND EXCHANGE’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘subordinate, exchange, 
modify, or terminate’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘subordinate or exchange’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘subordination, exchange, 
modification, or termination’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘subordination or ex-
change’’. 
(2) 
MODIFICATION; 
TERMINATION.—Section 
1265D(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3865d(c)) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 
(3) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following: 
‘‘(2) MODIFICATION.—
184 
‘‘(A) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may 
modify any interest in land, or portion of such 
interest, administered by the Secretary, either 
directly or on behalf of the Commodity Credit 
Corporation under the program if the modifica-
tion— 
‘‘(i) has a neutral effect on, or in-
creases, the conservation values; 
‘‘(ii) is consistent with the original in-
tent of the easement; and 
‘‘(iii) is consistent with the purposes 
of the program. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—In modifying an inter-
est in land, or portion of such interest, under 
this paragraph, the Secretary may not increase 
any payment to an eligible entity. 
‘‘(3) TERMINATION.—The Secretary may termi-
nate any interest in land, or portion of such interest, 
administered by the Secretary, either directly or on 
behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation under 
the program if— 
‘‘(A) the current owner of the land that is 
subject to the easement and the holder of the 
easement agree to the termination; and
185 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines that the ter-
mination would be in the public interest.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated), 
by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (3)’’. 
(c) LANDOWNER ELIGIBILITY.—Section 1265D of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3865d) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) LANDOWNER ELIGIBILITY.—The limitation de-
scribed in paragraph (1) of section 1001D(b) shall not 
apply to a landowner from which an easement under the 
program is to be purchased with respect to any benefit 
described in paragraph (2)(B) of such section related to 
the purchase of such easement.’’. 
Subtitle G—Regional Conservation 
Partnership Program 
SEC. 2701. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) COVERED PROGRAM.—Section 1271A(1) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(1)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesig-
nating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and 
(2) by adding at the end the following:
186 
‘‘(D) The conservation reserve program es-
tablished under subchapter B of chapter 1 of 
subtitle D. 
‘‘(E) Programs provided for in the Water-
shed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), other than section 14 of 
such Act (16 U.S.C. 1012).’’. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY.—Section 1271A(2) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(2)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘re-
source-conserving 
crop 
rotations,’’ 
before 
‘‘or 
dryland farming’’; and 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through 
(J) as subparagraphs (D) through (K), respectively, 
and inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: 
‘‘(C) Protection of source waters for drink-
ing water.’’. 
SEC. 2702. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) LENGTH.—Section 1271B(b) of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871b(b)) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(b) LENGTH.—A partnership agreement, including 
a renewal of a partnership agreement under subsection 
(d)(5), shall be—
187 
‘‘(1) for a period not to exceed 5 years, which 
period the Secretary may extend one time for up to 
12 months; or 
‘‘(2) for a period that is longer than 5 years, 
if such longer period is necessary to meet the objec-
tives of the program, as determined by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
(b) DUTIES OF PARTNERS.—Section 1271B(c)(1)(E) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3871b(c)(1)(E)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, including 
quantification of the project’s environmental outcomes’’ 
before the semicolon. 
(c) APPLICATIONS.—Section 1271B(d) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871b(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘simplified’’ 
before ‘‘competitive process to select’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) RENEWALS.—If a project that is the sub-
ject of a partnership agreement has met or exceeded 
the objectives of the project, as determined by the 
Secretary, the eligible partners may submit, through 
an expedited program application process, an appli-
cation to—
188 
‘‘(A) continue to implement the project 
under a renewal of the partnership agreement; 
or 
‘‘(B) expand the scope of the project under 
a renewal of the partnership agreement.’’. 
SEC. 2703. ASSISTANCE TO PRODUCERS. 
Section 1271C(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3871c(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘a period of 5 years’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the applicable period under section 
1271B(b)’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘the Secretary 
may waive the applicability of the limitation in sec-
tion 1001D(b)(2) of this Act for participating pro-
ducers’’ and inserting ‘‘notwithstanding the require-
ments of paragraph (3) of section 1001D(b), the 
Secretary may waive the applicability of the limita-
tion in paragraph (2) of such section, and any limi-
tation on the maximum amount of payments related 
to the covered programs, for participating pro-
ducers’’. 
SEC. 2704. FUNDING. 
Section 1271D(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3871d(a)) is amended to read as follows:
189 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Of the funds of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use, 
to carry out the program— 
‘‘(1) $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018; and 
‘‘(2) $250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 
through 2023.’’. 
SEC. 2705. ADMINISTRATION. 
Section 1271E of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3871e) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c) and inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary shall provide eligible 
partners and producers participating in the partnership 
agreements with guidance on how to quantify and report 
on environmental outcomes associated with the adoption 
of conservation practices under the program.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), as so redesignated— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in paragraph (4)(C), by striking the 
period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following:
190 
‘‘(5) the progress that eligible partners and pro-
ducers participating in the partnership agreements 
are making in quantifying and reporting on environ-
mental outcomes associated with the adoption of 
conservation practices under the program.’’. 
SEC. 2706. CRITICAL CONSERVATION AREAS. 
Section 1271F(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3871f(c)) is amended by striking paragraph 
(3). 
Subtitle H—Repeals and Transi-
tional 
Provisions; 
Technical 
Amendments 
SEC. 2801. REPEAL OF CONSERVATION SECURITY AND CON-
SERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS. 
(a) REPEAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), 
chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) is repealed. 
(b) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR CONSERVATION 
STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.— 
(1) EFFECT
ON
EXISTING
CONTRACTS.—The 
amendment made by this section shall not affect the 
validity or terms of any contract entered into by the 
Secretary of Agriculture under subchapter B of 
chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) before
192 
(d) WATERSHED PROTECTION AND FLOOD PREVEN-
TION ACT.—Section 5(4) of the Watershed Protection and 
Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1005(4)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘goodwater’’ and inserting 
‘‘floodwater’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Health, Edu-
cation, and Welfare’’ each place it appears and in-
serting ‘‘Secretary of Health and Human Services’’. 
TITLE III—TRADE 
Subtitle A—Food for Peace Act 
SEC. 3001. FINDINGS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States has long been the world’s 
largest donor of international food assistance. 
(2) American farmers have been instrumental 
in the success of United States international food 
assistance programs by providing an affordable, 
safe, and reliable source of nutritious agricultural 
commodities. 
(3) Through the efforts of the United States 
maritime industry and private voluntary organiza-
tions, agricultural commodities grown in the United 
States have been delivered to millions of people in 
need around the globe.
193 
(4) The United States should continue to use 
its abundant agricultural productivity to promote the 
foreign policy of the United States by enhancing the 
food security of the developing world through the 
timely provision of agricultural commodities. 
SEC. 3002. LABELING REQUIREMENTS. 
Subsection (g) of section 202 of the Food for Peace 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1722) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(g) LABELING OF ASSISTANCE.—Agricultural com-
modities and other assistance provided under this title 
shall, to the extent practicable, be clearly identified with 
appropriate markings on the package or container of such 
commodities and food procured outside of the United 
States, or on printed material that accompanies other as-
sistance, in the language of the locality in which such com-
modities and other assistance are distributed, as being fur-
nished by the people of the United States of America.’’. 
SEC. 3003. FOOD AID QUALITY ASSURANCE. 
Section 202(h)(3) of the Food for Peace Act (7 
U.S.C. 1722(h)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3004. LOCAL SALE AND BARTER OF COMMODITIES. 
Section 203 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1723) is amended—
194 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘to generate 
proceeds to be used as provided in this section’’ be-
fore the period at the end; 
(2) by striking subsection (b); and 
(3) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as 
subsections (b) and (c), respectively. 
SEC. 3005. MINIMUM LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE. 
Section 204(a) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1724(a)) is amended in paragraphs (1) and (2) by striking 
‘‘2018’’ both places it appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3006. EXTENSION OF TERMINATION DATE OF FOOD 
AID CONSULTATIVE GROUP. 
Section 205(f) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1725(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3007. ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS. 
Section 207(c)(1) of the Food for Peace Act (7 
U.S.C. 1726a(c)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014’’and inserting ‘‘the Agriculture and Nu-
trition Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 3008. FUNDING FOR PROGRAM OVERSIGHT, MONI-
TORING, AND EVALUATION. 
Section 207(f)(4) of the Food for Peace Act (7 
U.S.C. 1726a(f)(4)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)—
195 
(A) by striking ‘‘$17,000,000’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘1.5 percent’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2014 through 2018’’ the 
first place it appears and inserting ‘‘2019 
through 2023’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘2018’’ the second place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’; and 
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘chapter 1 of 
part I of’’. 
SEC. 3009. ASSISTANCE FOR STOCKPILING AND RAPID 
TRANSPORTATION, 
DELIVERY, 
AND 
DIS-
TRIBUTION 
OF 
SHELF-STABLE 
PRE-
PACKAGED FOODS. 
Section 208 the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1726b) 
is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as 
follows: ‘‘INTERNATIONAL FOOD RELIEF PART-
NERSHIP’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’.
196 
SEC. 3010. CONSIDERATION OF IMPACT OF PROVISION OF 
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES AND OTHER 
ASSISTANCE ON LOCAL FARMERS AND ECON-
OMY. 
(a) INCLUSION
OF
ALL
MODALITIES.—Section 
403(a) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1733(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
inserting ‘‘, food procured outside of the United 
States, food voucher, or cash transfer for food,’’ 
after ‘‘agricultural commodity’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘in the case 
of the provision of an agricultural commodity,’’ be-
fore ‘‘adequate’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘commodity’’ 
and inserting ‘‘agricultural commodity or use of the 
food procured outside of the United States, food 
vouchers, or cash transfers for food’’. 
(b) AVOIDANCE OF DISRUPTIVE IMPACT.—Section 
403(b) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1733(b)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by inserting ‘‘, food 
procured outside of the United States, food vouch-
ers, and cash transfers for food’’ after ‘‘agricultural 
commodities’’; and
197 
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘of sales 
of agricultural commodities’’. 
SEC. 3011. PREPOSITIONING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMOD-
ITIES. 
Section 407(c)(4)(A) of the Food for Peace Act (7 
U.S.C. 1736a(c)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3012. ANNUAL REPORT REGARDING FOOD AID PRO-
GRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 407(f) of the Food for 
Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1736a(f)(1)) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORT REGARDING FOOD AID PRO-
GRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 1 of 
each fiscal year, the Administrator and the Sec-
retary shall prepare, either jointly or separately, a 
report regarding each program and activity carried 
out under this Act during the prior fiscal year. If 
the report for a fiscal year will not be submitted to 
the appropriate committees of Congress by the date 
specified in this subparagraph, the Administrator 
and the Secretary shall promptly notify such com-
mittees about the delay, including the reasons for
198 
the delay, the steps being taken to complete the re-
port, and an estimated submission date. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—An annual report described 
in paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the 
prior fiscal year, the following: 
‘‘(A) A list that contains a description of 
each country and organization that receives 
food and other assistance under this Act (in-
cluding the quantity of food and assistance pro-
vided to each country and organization). 
‘‘(B) A general description of each project 
and activity implemented under this Act (in-
cluding each activity funded through the use of 
local currencies) and the total number of bene-
ficiaries of the project. 
‘‘(C) A statement describing the quantity 
of agricultural commodities made available to, 
and the total number of beneficiaries in, each 
country pursuant to— 
‘‘(i) this Act; 
‘‘(ii) section 416(b) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431(b)); 
‘‘(iii) the Food for Progress Act of 
1985 (7 U.S.C. 1736o); and
199 
‘‘(iv) the McGovern-Dole International 
Food for Education and Child Nutrition 
Program established by section 3107 of the 
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o–1). 
‘‘(D) An assessment of the progress made 
through programs under this Act towards re-
ducing food insecurity in the populations receiv-
ing food assistance from the United States. 
‘‘(E) A description of efforts undertaken 
by the Food Aid Consultative Group under sec-
tion 205 to achieve an integrated and effective 
food assistance program. 
‘‘(F) An assessment of— 
‘‘(i) each program oversight, moni-
toring, and evaluation system implemented 
under section 207(f); and 
‘‘(ii) the impact of each program over-
sight, monitoring, and evaluation system 
on the effectiveness and efficiency of as-
sistance provided under this title. 
‘‘(G) An assessment of the progress made 
by the Administrator in addressing issues relat-
ing to quality with respect to the provision of 
food assistance.
200 
‘‘(H) A statement of the amount of funds 
(including funds for administrative costs, indi-
rect cost recovery, internal transportation, stor-
age and handling, and associated distribution 
costs) provided to each eligible organization 
that received assistance under this Act, that 
further describes the following: 
‘‘(i) How such funds were used by the 
eligible organization. 
‘‘(ii) The actual rate of return for 
each commodity made available under this 
Act, including factors that influenced the 
rate of return, and, for the commodity, the 
costs of bagging or further processing, 
ocean transportation, inland transportation 
in the recipient country, storage costs, and 
any other information that the Adminis-
trator and the Secretary determine to be 
necessary. 
‘‘(iii) For each instance in which a 
commodity was made available under this 
Act at a rate of return less than 70 per-
cent, the reasons for the rate of return re-
alized.
201 
‘‘(I) For funds expended for the purposes 
of section 202(e), 406(b)(6), and 407(c)(1)(B), 
a detailed accounting of the expenditures and 
purposes of such expenditures with respect to 
each section. 
‘‘(3) RATE OF RETURN DESCRIBED.—For pur-
poses of applying subparagraph (H), the rate of re-
turn for a commodity shall be equal to the propor-
tion that— 
‘‘(A) the proceeds the implementing part-
ners generate through monetization; bears to 
‘‘(B) the cost to the Federal Government 
to procure and ship the commodity to a recipi-
ent country for monetization.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.—Subsection (m) of sec-
tion 403 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1733) is 
repealed. 
SEC. 3013. DEADLINE FOR AGREEMENTS TO FINANCE 
SALES OR TO PROVIDE OTHER ASSISTANCE. 
Section 408 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1736b) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’.
202 
SEC. 3014. MINIMUM LEVEL OF NONEMERGENCY FOOD AS-
SISTANCE. 
Subsection (e) of section 412 of the Food for Peace 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) MINIMUM LEVEL OF NONEMERGENCY FOOD AS-
SISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—For each of fiscal years 
2019 through 2023, not less than $365,000,000 of 
the amounts made available to carry out emergency 
and nonemergency food assistance programs under 
title II, nor more than 30 percent of such amounts, 
shall be expended for nonemergency food assistance 
programs under such title. 
‘‘(2) COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
FUNDS.— 
Funds appropriated each year to carry out part I of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 
et seq.) that are made available through grants or 
cooperative agreements to strengthen food security 
in developing countries and that are consistent with 
section 202(e)(1)(C) may be deemed to be expended 
on nonemergency food assistance programs for pur-
poses of this section.’’.
203 
SEC. 3015. TERMINATION DATE FOR MICRONUTRIENT FOR-
TIFICATION PROGRAMS. 
Section 415(c) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1736g–2(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3016. JOHN OGONOWSKI AND DOUG BEREUTER FARM-
ER-TO-FARMER PROGRAM. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—It is in the national interests 
of the United States to advance food security in de-
veloping countries and open new markets for agricul-
tural trade through programs that leverage the 
unique capabilities of Federal departments and 
agencies, and improve coordination between donors, 
beneficiaries, and the private sector. 
(2) 
ROLE
OF
DEPARTMENT
OF
AGRI-
CULTURE.—The Department of Agriculture plays an 
important role in establishing trade between the 
United States and other nations and should enhance 
its role in facilitating the transfer of the knowledge, 
skills, and experience of American farmers, land- 
grant universities, and extension services through 
the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-To- 
Farmer Program under title V of the Food for 
Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737).
204 
(b) CLARIFICATION OF NATURE OF ASSISTANCE.— 
Section 501(b)(1) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1737(b) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘technical’’ 
before ‘‘assistance’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)(A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘; and’’ at the end of 
clause (viii); and 
(B) by striking clause (ix) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(ix) agricultural education and exten-
sion; 
‘‘(x) selection of seed varieties and 
plant stocks; 
‘‘(xi) knowledge of insecticide and 
sanitation procedures to prevent crop de-
struction; 
‘‘(xii) use and maintenance of agricul-
tural equipment and irrigation systems; 
and 
‘‘(xiii) selection of fertilizers and 
methods of soils treatment; and’’. 
(c) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS.—Section 501(b)(2) of 
the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737(b)(2)) is amended
205 
by inserting ‘‘retired extension staff of the Department of 
Agriculture,’’ after ‘‘private corporations,’’. 
(d) ADDITIONAL PURPOSE.—Section 501(b) of the 
Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737(b)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(5); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as para-
graph (7); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) foster appropriate investments in institu-
tional capacity-building and allow longer-term and 
sequenced assignments and partnerships to provide 
deeper engagement and greater continuity on such 
projects; and’’. 
(e) MINIMUM FUNDING.—Subsection (d) of section 
501 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737) is amend-
ed to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) MINIMUM FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, in addition to any funds that may 
be specifically appropriated to carry out this section, 
not less than the greater of $15,000,000 or 0.6 per-
cent of the amounts made available for each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2023, to carry out this Act shall
206 
be used to carry out programs under this section, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) not less than 0.2 percent to be used 
for programs in developing countries; and 
‘‘(B) not less than 0.1 percent to be used 
for programs in sub-Saharan African and Car-
ibbean Basin countries. 
‘‘(2) TREATMENT OF EXPENDITURES.—Funds 
used to carry out programs under this section shall 
be counted towards the minimum level of non-
emergency food assistance specified in section 
412(e).’’. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
501(e)(1) of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1737(e)(1)) 
is amended in by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(g) CROP
YIELDS
AND
INNOVATIVE
PARTNER-
SHIPS.—Section 501 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 
1737) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) ESTABLISHMENT OF A GEOGRAPHICALLY DE-
FIED CROP YIELD METRICS.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture, in cooperation with the Administrator of the 
Agency for International Development, should— 
‘‘(1) establish a geographically defined crop 
yield metrics system to assess improvements in crop
207 
yields in countries and areas receiving assistance 
under this title; and 
‘‘(2) store the data resulting from such geo-
graphically defined crop yield metrics system in a 
publicly available Internet database system. 
‘‘(g) GRANT PROGRAM TO CREATE NEW PARTNERS 
AND INNOVATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 
Agency for International Development shall develop 
a grant program for fiscal years 2019 through 2023 
to facilitate new and innovative partnerships and ac-
tivities under this title. 
‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant recipients under 
this subsection shall use such funds— 
‘‘(A) to prioritize new implementing part-
ners; 
‘‘(B) on innovative volunteer models; 
‘‘(C) on strategic partnerships with other 
United States development programs; and 
‘‘(D) on expanding the footprint and im-
pact of the programs and activities under this 
title, and diversity among program participants, 
including land grant colleges or universities and 
extension services.
208 
‘‘(h) APPROPRIATIONS.—None of the amounts made 
available to carry out this title may be used to carry out 
subsections (f) and (g) of this section except to the extent 
that such subsections are carried out using authorities 
otherwise provided by this title.’’. 
Subtitle B—Agricultural Trade Act 
of 1978 
SEC. 3101. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) United States export development programs 
significantly increase demand for United States agri-
culture products within foreign markets, boosting 
agricultural export volume and overall farm income, 
and generating a net return of $28 in added export 
revenue for each invested program dollar. 
(2) Our global competitors provide substantially 
more public support for export promotion than is 
provided to United States agricultural exporters. 
The Market Access Program and Foreign Market 
Development Program receive combined annual 
funding of approximately $234,500,000. In compari-
son, the European Union allocates $255,000,000 an-
nually for the international promotion of wine alone. 
(3) The preservation and streamlining of 
United States export market development programs
209 
complements the recent reorganization within the 
Department of Agriculture by ensuring the newly es-
tablished Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign 
Agricultural Affairs has the tools necessary to en-
hance the competitiveness of the United States agri-
cultural industry on the global stage. 
SEC. 3102. CONSOLIDATION OF CURRENT PROGRAMS AS 
NEW 
INTERNATIONAL 
MARKET 
DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAM. 
(a) INTERNATIONAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM.—Section 205 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 
1978 (7 U.S.C. 5625) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 205. INTERNATIONAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary and the 
Commodity Credit Corporation shall establish and carry 
out a program, to be known as the ‘International Market 
Development Program’, to encourage the development, 
maintenance, and expansion of commercial export markets 
for United States agricultural commodities. 
‘‘(b) MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM COMPONENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As one of the components 
of the International Market Development Program, 
the Commodity Credit Corporation shall carry out a 
program to encourage the development, mainte-
210 
nance, and expansion of commercial export markets 
for United States agricultural commodities through 
cost-share assistance to eligible trade organizations 
that implement a foreign market development pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) TYPES OF ASSISTANCE.—Assistance under 
this subsection may be provided in the form of funds 
of, or commodities owned by, the Commodity Credit 
Corporation, as determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(3) PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) MARKETING PLAN AND OTHER RE-
QUIREMENTS.—To be eligible for cost-share as-
sistance under this subsection, an eligible trade 
organization shall— 
‘‘(i) prepare and submit a marketing 
plan to the Secretary that meets the guide-
lines governing such a marketing plan 
specified in this paragraph or otherwise es-
tablished by the Secretary; 
‘‘(ii) meet any other requirements es-
tablished by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(iii) enter into an agreement with the 
Secretary.
211 
‘‘(B) PURPOSE OF MARKETING PLAN.—A 
marketing plan submitted under this paragraph 
shall describe the advertising or other market 
oriented export promotion activities to be car-
ried out by the eligible trade organization with 
respect to which assistance under this sub-
section is being requested. 
‘‘(C) SPECIFIC
ELEMENTS.—To be ap-
proved by the Secretary, a marketing plan sub-
mitted under this paragraph shall— 
‘‘(i) specifically describe the manner 
in which assistance received by the eligible 
trade organization, in conjunction with 
funds and services provided by the eligible 
trade organization, will be expended in im-
plementing the marketing plan; 
‘‘(ii) establish specific market goals to 
be achieved under the marketing plan; and 
‘‘(iii) contain whatever additional re-
quirements are determined by the Sec-
retary to be necessary. 
‘‘(D) 
BRANDED
PROMOTION.—A 
mar-
keting plan approved by the Secretary may pro-
vide for the use of branded advertising to pro-
mote the sale of United States agricultural
212 
commodities in a foreign country under such 
terms and conditions as may be established by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(E) AMENDMENTS.—An approved mar-
keting plan may be amended by the eligible 
trade organization at any time, subject to the 
approval by the Secretary of the amendments. 
‘‘(4) LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE AND COST-SHARE 
REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
justify in writing the level of assistance to be 
provided to an eligible trade organization under 
this subsection and the level of cost sharing re-
quired of the organization. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION
ON
BRANDED
PRO-
MOTION.—Assistance provided under this sub-
section for activities described in paragraph 
(3)(D) shall not exceed 50 percent of the cost 
of implementing the marketing plan, except 
that the Secretary may determine not to apply 
such limitation in the case of United States ag-
ricultural commodities with respect to which 
there has been a favorable decision by the 
United States Trade Representative under sec-
tion 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
213 
2411). Criteria used by the Secretary for deter-
mining that the limitation shall not apply shall 
be consistent and documented. 
‘‘(5) OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— 
‘‘(A) MULTI-YEAR BASIS.—The Secretary 
may provide assistance under this subsection on 
a multi-year basis, subject to annual review by 
the Secretary for compliance with the approved 
marketing plan. 
‘‘(B) TERMINATION OF ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary may terminate any assistance made, 
or to be made, available under this subsection 
if the Secretary determines that— 
‘‘(i) the eligible trade organization is 
not adhering to the terms and conditions 
applicable to the provision of the assist-
ance; 
‘‘(ii) the eligible trade organization is 
not implementing the approved marketing 
plan or is not adequately meeting the es-
tablished goals of the plan; 
‘‘(iii) the eligible trade organization is 
not adequately contributing its own re-
sources to the implementation of the plan; 
or
214 
‘‘(iv) the Secretary determines that 
termination of assistance in a particular 
instance is in the best interests of the pro-
gram. 
‘‘(C) EVALUATIONS.—Beginning not later 
than 15 months after the initial provision of as-
sistance under this subsection to an eligible 
trade organization, the Secretary shall monitor 
the expenditures by the eligible trade organiza-
tion of such assistance, including the following: 
‘‘(i) An evaluation of the effectiveness 
of the marketing plan of the eligible trade 
organization in developing or maintaining 
markets for United States agricultural 
commodities. 
‘‘(ii) An evaluation of whether assist-
ance provided under this subsection is nec-
essary to maintain such markets. 
‘‘(iii) A thorough accounting of the 
expenditure by the eligible trade organiza-
tion of the assistance provided under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(6) RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF FUNDS.—As-
sistance provided under this subsection to an eligible 
trade organization shall not be used—
215 
‘‘(A) to provide direct assistance to any 
foreign for-profit corporation for the corpora-
tion’s use in promoting foreign-produced prod-
ucts; or 
‘‘(B) to provide direct assistance to any 
for-profit corporation that is not recognized as 
a small business concern, excluding a coopera-
tive, an association described in the first section 
of the Act entitled ‘An Act To authorize asso-
ciation of producers of agricultural products’, 
approved February 18, 1922 (7 U.S.C. 291), or 
a nonprofit trade association. 
‘‘(7) PERMISSIVE USE OF FUNDS.—Assistance 
provided under this subsection to a United States 
agricultural trade association, cooperative, or small 
business may be used for individual branded pro-
motional activity related to a United States branded 
product, if the beneficiaries of the activity have pro-
vided funds for the activity in an amount that is at 
least equivalent to the amount of assistance provided 
under this subsection. 
‘‘(8) PROGRAM
CONSIDERATIONS
AND
PRIOR-
ITIES.—In providing assistance under this sub-
section, the Secretary, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, shall—
216 
‘‘(A) give equal consideration to— 
‘‘(i) proposals submitted by organiza-
tions that were participating organizations 
in prior fiscal years; and 
‘‘(ii) proposals submitted by eligible 
trade organizations that have not pre-
viously participated in the program estab-
lished under this title; 
‘‘(B) give equal consideration to— 
‘‘(i) proposals submitted for activities 
in emerging markets; and 
‘‘(ii) proposals submitted for activities 
in markets other than emerging markets. 
‘‘(9) PRIORITY.—In providing assistance for 
branded promotion, the Secretary should give pri-
ority to small-sized entities. 
‘‘(10) CONTRIBUTION LEVEL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary should 
require a minimum contribution level of 10 per-
cent from an eligible trade organization that re-
ceives assistance for nonbranded promotion. 
‘‘(B) 
INCREASES
IN
CONTRIBUTION 
LEVEL.—The Secretary may increase the con-
tribution level in any subsequent year that an
217 
eligible trade organization receives assistance 
for nonbranded promotion. 
‘‘(11) ADDITIONALITY.—The Secretary should 
require each participant in the program to certify 
that any Federal funds received supplement, but do 
not supplant, private or third party participant 
funds or other contributions to program activities. 
‘‘(12) INDEPENDENT AUDITS.—If as a result of 
an evaluation or audit of activities of a participant 
under the program, the Secretary determines that a 
further review is justified in order to ensure compli-
ance with the requirements of the program, the Sec-
retary should require the participant to contract for 
an independent audit of the program activities, in-
cluding activities of any subcontractor. 
‘‘(13) TOBACCO.—No funds made available 
under the market promotion program may be used 
for activities to develop, maintain, or expand foreign 
markets for tobacco. 
‘‘(c) FOREIGN MARKET DEVELOPMENT COOPERATOR 
COMPONENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As one of the components 
of the International Market Development Program, 
the Secretary shall carry out a foreign market devel-
opment cooperator program to maintain and develop
218 
foreign markets for United States agricultural com-
modities. 
‘‘(2) COOPERATION.—The Secretary shall carry 
out the foreign market development cooperator pro-
gram in cooperation with eligible trade organiza-
tions. 
‘‘(3) ADMINISTRATION.—Funds made available 
to carry out the foreign market development coop-
erator program shall be used only to provide— 
‘‘(A) cost-share assistance to an eligible 
trade organization under a contract or agree-
ment with the organization; and 
‘‘(B) assistance for other costs that are 
necessary or appropriate to carry out the for-
eign market development cooperator program, 
including contingent liabilities that are not oth-
erwise funded. 
‘‘(4) PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS.—In providing 
assistance under this subsection, the Secretary, to 
the maximum extent practicable, shall— 
‘‘(A) give equal consideration to— 
‘‘(i) proposals submitted by eligible 
trade organizations that were participating 
organizations in the foreign market devel-
219 
opment cooperator program in prior fiscal 
years; and 
‘‘(ii) proposals submitted by eligible 
trade organizations that have not pre-
viously participated in the foreign market 
development cooperator program; and 
‘‘(B) give equal consideration to— 
‘‘(i) proposals submitted for activities 
in emerging markets; and 
‘‘(ii) proposals submitted for activities 
in markets other than emerging markets. 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIALTY CROPS 
COMPONENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As one of the components 
of the International Market Development Program, 
the Secretary shall carry out an export assistance 
program to address existing or potential barriers 
that prohibit or threaten the export of United States 
specialty crops. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The export assistance program 
required by this subsection shall provide direct as-
sistance through public and private sector projects 
and technical assistance to remove, resolve, or miti-
gate existing or potential sanitary and phytosanitary 
and technical barriers to trade.
220 
‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—The export assistance pro-
gram required by this subsection shall address time 
sensitive and strategic market access projects based 
on— 
‘‘(A) trade effect on market retention, 
market access, and market expansion; and 
‘‘(B) trade impact. 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL
REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
an annual report that contains, for the period cov-
ered by the report, a description of each factor that 
affects the export of specialty crops, including each 
factor relating to any significant sanitary or 
phytosanitary issue or trade barrier. 
‘‘(e) E. (KIKA) DE LA GARZA EMERGING MARKETS 
PROGRAM COMPONENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary, in order to develop, maintain, or ex-
pand export markets for United States agricul-
tural commodities, is directed— 
‘‘(i) to make available to emerging 
markets the expertise of the United States 
to make assessments of the food and rural
221 
business systems needs of such emerging 
markets; 
‘‘(ii) to make recommendations on 
measures necessary to enhance the effec-
tiveness of the systems, including potential 
reductions in trade barriers; and 
‘‘(iii) to identify and carry out specific 
opportunities and projects to enhance the 
effectiveness of those systems. 
‘‘(B) EXTENT
OF
PROGRAM.—The Sec-
retary shall implement this paragraph with re-
spect to at least 3 emerging markets in each 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) IMPLEMENTATION
OF
PROGRAM.—The 
Secretary may implement the requirements of para-
graph (1)— 
‘‘(A) by providing assistance to teams con-
sisting primarily of agricultural consultants, 
farmers, other persons from the private sector 
and government officials expert in assessing the 
food and rural business systems of other coun-
tries to enable such teams to conduct the as-
sessments, make the recommendations, and 
identify the opportunities and projects specified 
in such paragraph in emerging markets; and
222 
‘‘(B) by providing for necessary subsist-
ence and transportation expenses of— 
‘‘(i) United States food and rural 
business system experts, including United 
States agricultural producers and other 
United States individuals knowledgeable in 
agricultural and agribusiness matters, to 
enable such United States food and rural 
business system experts to assist in trans-
ferring knowledge and expertise to entities 
in emerging markets; and 
‘‘(ii) individuals designated by emerg-
ing markets to enable such designated in-
dividuals to consult with such United 
States experts to enhance food and rural 
business systems of such emerging markets 
and to transfer knowledge and expertise to 
such emerging markets. 
‘‘(3) COST-SHARING.—The Secretary shall en-
courage the nongovernmental experts described in 
paragraph (2) to share the costs of, and otherwise 
assist in, the participation of such experts in the 
program under this paragraph. 
‘‘(4) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
is authorized to provide, or pay the necessary costs
223 
for, technical assistance (including the establishment 
of extension services) necessary to enhance the effec-
tiveness of food and rural business systems needs of 
emerging markets, including potential reductions in 
trade barriers. 
‘‘(5) REPORTS TO SECRETARY.—A team that 
receives assistance under paragraph (2) shall pre-
pare such reports with respect to the use of such as-
sistance as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE TRADE ORGANIZATION.— 
‘‘(A) MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM COMPO-
NENT.—In subsection (b), the term ‘eligible 
trade organization’ means— 
‘‘(i) a United States agricultural trade 
organization or regional State-related orga-
nization that promotes the export and sale 
of United States agricultural commodities 
and that does not stand to profit directly 
from specific sales of United States agri-
cultural commodities; 
‘‘(ii) a cooperative organization or 
State agency that promotes the sale of 
United States agricultural commodities; or
224 
‘‘(iii) a private organization that pro-
motes the export and sale of United States 
agricultural commodities if the Secretary 
determines that such organization would 
significantly contribute to United States 
export market development. 
‘‘(B) FOREIGN
MARKET
DEVELOPMENT 
COOPERATOR COMPONENT.—In subsection (c), 
the term ‘eligible trade organization’’ means a 
United States trade organization that— 
‘‘(i) promotes the export of one or 
more United States agricultural commod-
ities; and 
‘‘(ii) does not have a business interest 
in or receive remuneration from specific 
sales of United States agricultural com-
modities. 
‘‘(2) EMERGING MARKET.—The term ‘emerging 
market’ means any country that the Secretary deter-
mines— 
‘‘(A) is taking steps toward a market-ori-
ented economy through the food, agriculture, or 
rural business sectors of the economy of the 
country; and
225 
‘‘(B) has the potential to provide a viable 
and significant market for United States agri-
cultural commodities. 
‘‘(3) SMALL-BUSINESS
CONCERN.—The term 
‘small-business concern’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 
U.S.C. 632(a)). 
‘‘(4) UNITED
STATES
AGRICULTURAL
COM-
MODITY.—The term ‘United States agricultural com-
modity’ has the meaning given the term in section 
102 of the Agriculture Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 
5602) and includes commodities that are organically 
produced (as defined in section 2103 of the Organic 
Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6502)).’’. 
(b) FUNDING PROVISION.—Subsection (c) of section 
211 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 
5641) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) INTERNATIONAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT PRO-
GRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds of the Com-
modity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make 
available for the International Market Development 
Program under section 205 $255,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2019 through 2023. Such 
amounts shall remain available until expended.
226 
‘‘(2) SET-ASIDES.— 
‘‘(A) MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM COMPO-
NENT.—Of the funds made available under 
paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, not less than 
$200,000,000 shall be used for the market ac-
cess program component of the International 
Market Development Program under subsection 
(b) of section 205. 
‘‘(B) FOREIGN
MARKET
DEVELOPMENT 
COOPERATOR COMPONENT.—Of the funds made 
available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, 
not less than $34,500,000 shall be used for the 
foreign market development cooperator compo-
nent of the International Market Development 
Program under subsection (c) of section 205. 
‘‘(C) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
FOR
SPE-
CIALTY
CROPS
COMPONENT.—Of the funds 
made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal 
year, not more than $9,000,000, shall be used 
for the specialty crops component of the Inter-
national Market Development Program under 
subsection (d) of section 205. 
‘‘(D) AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO EMERG-
ING
MARKETS
COMPONENT.—Of the funds 
made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal
227 
year, not more than $10,000,000 shall be used 
to promote agricultural exports to emerging 
markets under the International Market Devel-
opment Program under subsection (e) of section 
205.’’. 
(c) REPEAL OF SUPERSEDED PROGRAMS.— 
(1) MARKET ACCESS PROGRAM.—Section 203 of 
the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5623) 
is repealed. 
(2) PROMOTIONAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 1302 
of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 
is repealed. 
(3) FOREIGN
MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
COOP-
ERATOR
PROGRAM.—Title VII of the Agricultural 
Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5721–5723) is re-
pealed. 
(4) EXPORT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SPE-
CIALTY CROPS.—Section 3205 of the Farm Security 
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 5680) 
is repealed. 
(5) EMERGING
MARKETS
PROGRAM.—Section 
1542 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5622 note; Public Law 
101–624) is amended by striking subsection (d) and
228 
by redesignating subsection (e) and (f) as sub-
sections (d) and (e), respectively. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) AGRICULTURAL TRADE ACT OF 1978.—The 
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 is amended— 
(A) in section 202 (7 U.S.C. 5622), by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(k) COMBINATION OF PROGRAMS.—The Commodity 
Credit Corporation may carry out a program under which 
commercial export credit guarantees available under this 
section are combined with direct credits from the Com-
modity Credit Corporation under section 201 to reduce the 
effective rate of interest on export sales of United States 
agricultural commodities.’’; and 
(B) 
in 
section 
402(a)(1) 
(7 
U.S.C. 
5662(a)(1)), by striking ‘‘203’’ and inserting 
‘‘205(b)’’. 
(2) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946.— 
Section 282(f)(2)(C) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638a(f)(2)(C)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘section 203 of the Agricultural Trade 
Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5623)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
205 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978’’. 
(3) FOOD, AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND 
TRADE
ACT
OF
1990.—Section 1543(b)(5) of the
229 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 
1990 (7 U.S.C. 3293(b)(5)) is amended by striking 
‘‘1542(f)’’ and inserting ‘‘1542(e)’’. 
Subtitle C—Other Agricultural 
Trade Laws 
SEC. 3201. LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD AID PROCURE-
MENT PROJECTS. 
Section 3206(e)(1) of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 1726c(e)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3202. PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS TO 
EMERGING MARKETS. 
Section 1542(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5622 note; Public 
Law 101–624) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3203. BILL EMERSON HUMANITARIAN TRUST ACT. 
Section 302 of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1736f–1) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(B)(i), by striking 
‘‘2018’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘2018’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’.
230 
SEC. 3204. FOOD FOR PROGRESS ACT OF 1985. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1110 of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (also known as the Food for Progress Act 
of 1985; 7 U.S.C. 1736o) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (f)(3), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’; 
(2) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’; 
(3) in subsection (k), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’; and 
(4) in subsection (l)(1), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Section 1110(b)(5) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (also known as the Food for 
Progress Act of 1985; 7 U.S.C. 1736o(b)(5)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (E); 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub-
paragraph (G); and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(F) a college or university (as such terms 
are defined in section 1404(4) of the Food and 
Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103(4)); 
and’’.
231 
(c) PRIVATE
VOLUNTARY
ORGANIZATIONS
AND 
OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES.—Section 1110(o) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 is amended in paragraph (1) by 
striking ‘‘(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘(G)’’. 
SEC. 3205. MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR 
EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) 
CONSIDERATION
OF
PROPOSALS.—Section 
3107(f)(1)(B) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o–1(f)(1)(B)) is amended by 
inserting before the semicolon the following: ‘‘and, to the 
extent practicable, that assistance will be provided on a 
timely basis so as to coincide with the beginning of and 
when needed during the relevant school year’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
3107(l)(2) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o–1(l)(2)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 3206. COCHRAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZED LOCATIONS FOR TRAINING.—Sec-
tion 1543(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 3293(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘for study in the United States.’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘for study— 
‘‘(1) in the United States; or
232 
‘‘(2) at a college or university located in an eli-
gible country that the Secretary determines— 
‘‘(A) has sufficient scientific and technical 
facilities; 
‘‘(B) has established a partnership with at 
least one college or university in the United 
States; and 
‘‘(C) has substantial participation by fac-
ulty members of the United States college or 
university in the design of the fellowship cur-
riculum and classroom instruction under the 
fellowship.’’. 
(b) FELLOWSHIP PURPOSES.—Section 1543(c)(2) of 
the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 
1990 (7 U.S.C. 3293(c)(2)) is amended by inserting be-
fore the period at the end the following: ‘‘, including trade 
linkages involving regulatory systems governing sanitary 
and phyto-sanitary standards for agricultural products’’. 
SEC. 3207. BORLAUG FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. 
Section 1473G of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
3319j) is amended to read as follows:
233 
‘‘SEC. 1473G. BORLAUG INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FELLOWSHIP 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a fellowship program, to be known as the 
‘Borlaug International Agricultural Science and 
Technology Fellowship Program’. 
‘‘(2) FELLOWSHIPS TO INDIVIDUALS FROM ELI-
GIBLE COUNTRIES.—As part of the fellowship pro-
gram, the Secretary shall provide fellowships to indi-
viduals from eligible countries as described in sub-
section (b) who specialize in agricultural education, 
research, and extension for scientific training and 
study designed to assist individual fellowship recipi-
ents, including the following 3 programs: 
‘‘(A) A graduate studies program in agri-
culture to assist individuals who participate in 
graduate agricultural degree training at a 
United States institution. 
‘‘(B) An individual career improvement 
program to assist agricultural scientists from 
developing countries in upgrading skills and un-
derstanding in agricultural science and tech-
nology.
234 
‘‘(C) A Borlaug agricultural policy execu-
tive leadership course to assist senior agricul-
tural policy makers from eligible countries, with 
an initial focus on individuals from sub-Saharan 
Africa and the independent states of the former 
Soviet Union. 
‘‘(3) FELLOWSHIPS TO UNITED STATES CITI-
ZENS.—As part of the fellowship program, the Sec-
retary shall provide fellowships to citizens of the 
United States to assist eligible countries in devel-
oping school-based agricultural education and youth 
extension programs. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE COUNTRY DESCRIBED.—For pur-
poses of this section, an eligible country is a developing 
country, as determined by the Secretary using a gross na-
tional income per capita test selected by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) PURPOSE OF FELLOWSHIPS.— 
‘‘(1) FELLOWSHIPS TO INDIVIDUALS FROM ELI-
GIBLE
COUNTRIES.—A fellowship provided under 
subsection (a)(2) shall— 
‘‘(A) promote food security and economic 
growth in eligible countries by— 
‘‘(i) educating a new generation of ag-
ricultural scientists;
235 
‘‘(ii) increasing scientific knowledge 
and collaborative research to improve agri-
cultural productivity; and 
‘‘(iii) extending that knowledge to 
users and intermediaries in the market-
place; and 
‘‘(B) support— 
‘‘(i) training and collaborative re-
search opportunities through exchanges for 
entry level international agricultural re-
search scientists, faculty, and policymakers 
from eligible countries; 
‘‘(ii) collaborative research to improve 
agricultural productivity; 
‘‘(iii) the transfer of new science and 
agricultural technologies to strengthen ag-
ricultural practice; and 
‘‘(iv) the reduction of barriers to tech-
nology adoption. 
‘‘(2) FELLOWSHIPS TO UNITED STATES CITI-
ZENS.—A fellowship provided under subsection 
(a)(3) shall— 
‘‘(A) develop globally minded United 
States agriculturists with experience living 
abroad;
236 
‘‘(B) focus on meeting the food and fiber 
needs of the domestic population of eligible 
countries; and 
‘‘(C) strengthen and enhance trade link-
ages between eligible countries and the United 
States agricultural industry. 
‘‘(d) FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(1) FELLOWSHIPS TO INDIVIDUALS FROM ELI-
GIBLE COUNTRIES.— 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
CANDIDATES.—The Sec-
retary may provide fellowships under subsection 
(a)(2) to individuals from eligible countries who 
specialize or have experience in agricultural 
education, research, extension, or related fields, 
including— 
‘‘(i) individuals from the public and 
private sectors; and 
‘‘(ii) private agricultural producers. 
‘‘(B) CANDIDATE
IDENTIFICATION.—For 
fellowships under subsection (a)(2), the Sec-
retary shall use the expertise of United States 
land-grant colleges and universities and similar 
universities, international organizations working 
in agricultural research and outreach, and na-
tional agricultural research organizations to
237 
help identify program candidates for fellowships 
from the public and private sectors of eligible 
countries. 
‘‘(C) LOCATION
OF
TRAINING.—The sci-
entific training or study of fellowship recipients 
under subsection (a)(2) shall occur— 
‘‘(i) in the United States; or 
‘‘(ii) at a college or university located 
in an eligible country that the Secretary 
determines— 
‘‘(I) has sufficient scientific and 
technical facilities; 
‘‘(II) has established a partner-
ship with at least one college or uni-
versity in the United States; and 
‘‘(III) has substantial participa-
tion by faculty members of the United 
States college or university in the de-
sign of the fellowship curriculum and 
classroom instruction under the fel-
lowship. 
‘‘(2) FELLOWSHIPS TO UNITED STATES CITI-
ZENS.—
238 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
CANDIDATES.—The Sec-
retary may provide fellowships under subsection 
(a)(3) to citizens of the United States who— 
‘‘(i) hold at least a bachelor’s degree 
in an agricultural related field of study; 
and 
‘‘(ii) have an understanding of United 
States school-based agricultural education 
and youth extension programs, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) CANDIDATE
IDENTIFICATION.—For 
fellowships under subsection (a)(3), the Sec-
retary shall consult with the National FFA Or-
ganization, the National 4–H Council, and 
other entities as the Secretary deems appro-
priate to identify candidates for fellowships. 
‘‘(e) PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary 
shall provide for the management, coordination, evalua-
tion, and monitoring of the Borlaug International Agricul-
tural Science and Technology Fellowship Program and for 
the individual programs described in subsection (a), except 
that— 
‘‘(1) the Secretary may contract out to 1 or 
more collaborating universities the management of 1
239 
or more of the fellowship programs under subsection 
(a)(2); and 
‘‘(2) the Secretary may contract out the man-
agement of the fellowship program under subsection 
(a)(3) to an outside organization with experience in 
implementing fellowship programs focused on build-
ing capacity for school-based agricultural education 
and youth extension programs in developing coun-
tries. 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated $6,000,000 to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) SET-ASIDES.—Of any funds made avail-
able pursuant to paragraph (1), not less than 
$2,800,000 shall be used to carry out the fellowship 
program for individuals from eligible countries under 
subsection (a)(2). 
‘‘(3) DURATION.—Any funds made available 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain available 
until expended.’’. 
SEC. 3208. GLOBAL CROP DIVERSITY TRUST. 
(a) UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTION LIMIT.—Section 
3202(b) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (22 U.S.C. 2220a note; Public Law 110–246(b)) is
240 
amended by striking ‘‘25 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘33 per-
cent’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
3202(c) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (Public Law 110–246; 22 U.S.C. 2220a note) is 
amended by striking ‘‘for the period of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘for the period of fiscal years 
2019 through 2023’’. 
SEC. 3209. GROWING AMERICAN FOOD EXPORTS ACT OF 
2018. 
Section 1543A of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5679) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 1543A. BIOTECHNOLOGY AND AGRICULTURAL TRADE 
PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department of Agriculture a program to be known as the 
‘Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program’. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program estab-
lished under this section shall be to remove, resolve, or 
mitigate significant regulatory nontariff barriers to the ex-
port of United States agricultural commodities into for-
eign markets through policy advocacy and targeted 
projects that address—
241 
‘‘(1) issues relating to United States agricul-
tural commodities produced with the use of bio-
technology or new agricultural production tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(2) advocacy for science-based regulation in 
foreign markets of biotechnology or new agricultural 
production technologies; or 
‘‘(3) quick-response intervention regarding non- 
tariff barriers to United States exports produced 
through biotechnology or new agricultural produc-
tion technologies. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS.—Depending on need, as 
determined by the Secretary, activities authorized under 
this section may be carried out through— 
‘‘(1) this section; 
‘‘(2) the emerging markets program under sec-
tion 1542; or 
‘‘(3) the Cochran Fellowship Program under 
section 1543.’’. 
TITLE IV—NUTRITION 
Subtitle A—Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program 
SEC. 4001. DUPLICATIVE ENROLLMENT DATABASE. 
(a) EXPANSION OF THE DUPLICATIVE ENROLLMENT 
DATABASE.—The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
242 
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 30. DUPLICATIVE ENROLLMENT DATABASE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish an 
interstate database, or system of databases, of supple-
mental nutrition assistance program information to be 
known as the Duplicative Enrollment Database that shall 
include the data submitted by each State pursuant to sec-
tion 11(e)(26) and that shall meet security standards as 
determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—Any database, or system of data-
bases, established pursuant to subsection (a) shall be used 
by States when making eligibility determinations to pre-
vent supplemental nutrition assistance program partici-
pants from receiving duplicative benefits in multiple 
States. 
‘‘(c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(1) ISSUANCE
OF
INTERIM
FINAL
REGULA-
TIONS.—Not later than 18 months after the effective 
date of this section, the Secretary shall issue interim 
final regulations to carry out this section that— 
‘‘(A) incorporate best practices and lessons 
learned from the regional pilot project ref-
erenced in section 4032(c) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 2036c(c));
243 
‘‘(B) protect the privacy of supplemental 
nutrition assistance program participants and 
applicants consistent with section 11(e)(8); and 
‘‘(C) detail the process States will be re-
quired to follow for— 
‘‘(i) conducting initial and ongoing 
matches of participant and applicant data; 
‘‘(ii) identifying and acting on all ap-
parent instances of duplicative participa-
tion by participants or applicants in mul-
tiple States; 
‘‘(iii) disenrolling an individual who 
has applied to participate in another State 
in a manner sufficient to allow the State in 
which the individual is currently applying 
to comply with sections 11(e)(3) and (9); 
and 
‘‘(iv) complying with such other rules 
and standards the Secretary determines 
appropriate to carry out this section. 
‘‘(2) TIMING.—The initial match and cor-
responding actions required by paragraph (1)(C) 
shall occur within 3 years after the date of the en-
actment of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 
2018.
244 
‘‘(d) REPORTS.—Using the data submitted to the 
Duplicative Enrollment Database, the Secretary shall pub-
lish an annual report analyzing supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program participant characteristics, including 
participant tenure on the program. The report shall be 
made available to the public in a manner that prevents 
identification of participants that receive supplemental nu-
trition assistance program benefits.’’. 
(b) STATE DATA COLLECTION AND SUBMISSION RE-
QUIREMENTS.—Section 11(e) of the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (24) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end, 
(2) in paragraph (25) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘a semicolon’’, and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(26) that the State agency shall collect and 
submit supplemental nutrition assistance program 
data to the Duplicative Enrollment Database estab-
lished in section 30, in accordance with guidance or 
rules issued by the Secretary establishing a uniform 
method and format for the collection and submission 
of data, including for each member of a partici-
pating household—
245 
‘‘(A) the social security number or the so-
cial security number substitute; 
‘‘(B) the employment status of such mem-
ber; 
‘‘(C) the amount of income and whether 
that income is earned or unearned; 
‘‘(D) that member’s portion of the house-
hold monthly allotment; and 
‘‘(E) the portion of the aggregate value of 
household assets attributed to that member; 
and’’. 
SEC. 4002. RETAILER-FUNDED INCENTIVES PILOT. 
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
et seq.), as amended by section 4001, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 31. RETAILER-FUNDED INCENTIVES PILOT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
pilot project in accordance with subsection (d) through 
which participating retail food stores provide bonuses to 
participating households based on household purchases of 
fruits, vegetables, and fluid milk. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section— 
‘‘(1) The term ‘bonus’ means a financial incen-
tive provided at the point of sale to a participating
246 
household that expends a portion of its allotment for 
the purchase of fruits, vegetables, or fluid milk. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘fluid milk’ means cow milk 
without flavoring or sweeteners and packaged in liq-
uid form. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘fruits’ means minimally proc-
essed fruits. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘retail food store’ means a retail 
food store as defined in section 3(o)(1) that is au-
thorized to accept and redeem benefits under the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘vegetables’ means minimally 
processed vegetables. 
‘‘(c) PROJECT PARTICIPANT PLANS.—To participate 
in the pilot project established under subsection (a), a re-
tail food store shall submit to the Secretary for approval 
a plan that includes— 
‘‘(1) a method of quantifying the cost of fruits, 
vegetables, and fluid milk, that will earn households 
a bonus; 
‘‘(2) a method of providing bonuses to partici-
pating households and adequately testing such meth-
od; 
‘‘(3) a method of ensuring bonuses earned by 
households may be used only to purchase food eligi-
247 
ble for purchase under the supplemental nutrition 
assistance program; 
‘‘(4) a method of educating participating house-
holds about the availability and use of a bonus; 
‘‘(5) a method of providing data and reports, as 
requested by the Secretary, for purposes of ana-
lyzing the impact of the pilot project established 
under subsection (a) on household access, ease of 
bonus use, and program integrity; and 
‘‘(6) such other criteria, including security cri-
teria, as established by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) PILOT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—Retail food 
stores with plans approved under subsection (c) to partici-
pate in the pilot project established under subsection (a) 
shall— 
‘‘(1) provide a bonus in a dollar amount not to 
exceed 10 percent of the price of the purchased 
fruits, vegetables, and fluid milk; 
‘‘(2) fund the dollar amount of bonuses used by 
households, and pay for administrative costs, such 
as fees and system costs, associated with providing 
such bonuses; 
‘‘(3) ensure that bonuses earned by households 
may be used only to purchase food eligible for pur-
248 
chase under the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program; and 
‘‘(4) provide data and reports as requested by 
the Secretary for purposes of analyzing the impact 
of the pilot project established under subsection (a) 
on household access, ease of bonus use, and program 
integrity. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION.—A retail food store participating 
in a project under section 4405 of the Food, Conservation, 
and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517) shall not be eligi-
ble to participate in the pilot project established under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(f) IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of the Agriculture and Nu-
trition Act of 2018, the Secretary shall solicit and approve 
plans submitted under subsection (c) that satisfy the re-
quirements of such subsection. 
‘‘(g) REIMBURSEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) RATE
OF
REIMBURSEMENT.—Subject to 
paragraphs (2) and (3), the Secretary shall reim-
burse retail food stores with plans approved under 
subsection (f) in an amount not to exceed 25 percent 
of the dollar value of bonuses earned by households 
and used to purchase food eligible for purchase
249 
under the supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) AGGREGATE
AMOUNT
OF
REIMBURSE-
MENTS.—The aggregate amount of reimbursements 
paid in a fiscal year to all retail food stores that par-
ticipate in the pilot project established under sub-
section (a) in such fiscal year shall not exceed 
$120,000,000. 
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) TIMELINE.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of the Agri-
culture and Nutrition Act of 2018, the Sec-
retary shall establish requirements to imple-
ment 
this 
section, 
including 
criteria 
for 
prioritizing reimbursements to such stores with-
in the limit established in paragraph (2) and 
subject to subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) 
DISTRIBUTION
OF
REIMBURSE-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(i) 
MONTHLY
PAYMENTS.—Reim-
bursements payable under this subsection 
shall be paid on a monthly basis. 
‘‘(ii) PRORATED PAYMENTS.—If funds 
made available under subsection (h) are in-
sufficient to pay in full reimbursements
250 
payable for a month because of the oper-
ation of paragraph (2), such reimburse-
ments shall be paid on a pro rata basis to 
the extent funds remain available for pay-
ment. 
‘‘(h) FUNDING.—From funds made available under 
section 18(a)(1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allo-
cate not to exceed $120,000,000 for reimbursements pay-
able under this section for such fiscal year.’’. 
SEC. 4003. GUS SCHUMACHER FOOD INSECURITY NUTRI-
TION INCENTIVE PROGRAM. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 4405 of the Food, Con-
servation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting ‘‘GUS 
SCHUMACHER
FOOD
INSECURITY
NUTRITION 
INCENTIVE PROGRAM’’, 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii)— 
(I) in subclause (II) by inserting 
‘‘financial’’ after ‘‘providing’’, 
(II) by amending subclause (III) 
to read as follows:
251 
‘‘(III) has adequate plans to col-
lect data for reporting and agrees to 
participate in a program evaluation; 
and’’. 
(III) in subclause (IV) by strik-
ing ‘‘; and’’ at the end and inserting 
a period, and 
(IV) by striking subclause (V), 
and 
(ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(B) PRIORITIES.—In awarding grants 
under this section— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary shall give priority 
to projects that— 
‘‘(I) maximize the share of funds 
used for direct incentives to partici-
pants; 
‘‘(II) include coordination with 
multiple stakeholders, such as farm 
organizations, nutrition education pro-
grams, cooperative extension service 
programs, public health departments, 
health providers, private and public 
health insurance agencies, cooperative
252 
grocers, grocery associations, and 
community-based 
and 
non-govern-
mental organizations; and 
‘‘(III) have the capacity to gen-
erate sufficient data and analysis to 
demonstrate effectiveness of program 
incentives; and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary may also give pri-
ority to projects that— 
‘‘(I) are located in underserved 
communities; 
‘‘(II) use direct-to-consumer sales 
marketing; 
‘‘(III) demonstrate a track record 
of designing and implementing suc-
cessful nutrition incentive programs 
that connect low-income consumers 
and agricultural producers; 
‘‘(IV) provide locally or regionally 
produced fruits and vegetables; 
‘‘(V) offer supplemental services 
in high-need communities, including 
online ordering, transportation be-
tween home and store, and delivery 
services;
253 
‘‘(VI) provide year-round access 
to program incentives; or 
‘‘(VII) address other criteria as 
established by the Secretary.’’, 
(B) by amending paragraph (4) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(4) TRAINING, EVALUATION, AND
INFORMA-
TION CENTER.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Director of the National In-
stitute of Food and Agriculture, shall establish 
a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program 
Training, Evaluation, and Information Center 
capable of providing services related to grants 
under subsection (b), including— 
‘‘(i) offering incentive program train-
ing and technical assistance to applicants 
and grantees to the extent practicable; 
‘‘(ii) collecting, evaluating, and shar-
ing information on best practices on com-
mon incentive activities; 
‘‘(iii) 
assisting 
with 
collaboration 
among grantee projects, State agencies, 
and nutrition education programs;
254 
‘‘(iv) facilitating communication be-
tween grantees and the Department of Ag-
riculture; and 
‘‘(v) compiling program data from 
grantees and generating an annual report 
to Congress on grant outcomes. 
‘‘(B) 
COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENT.—To 
carry out subparagraph (A), the Secretary may 
enter into a cooperative agreement with an or-
ganization with expertise in the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program incentive pro-
grams, including— 
‘‘(i) nongovernmental organizations; 
‘‘(ii) State cooperative extension serv-
ices; 
‘‘(iii) regional food system centers; 
‘‘(iv) Federal and State agencies; 
‘‘(v) public, private, and land-grant 
colleges and universities; and 
‘‘(vi) other appropriate entities as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) FUNDING LIMITATION.—Of the funds 
made available under subsection (c), the Sec-
retary may use to carry out this paragraph not 
more than—
255 
‘‘(i) $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2019 and 2020, and 
‘‘(ii) $1,000,000 for each fiscal year 
thereafter.’’, and 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘2014 
through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2019 through 
2023’’, and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (C) by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘;’’, 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(D) $45,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; 
‘‘(E) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; 
‘‘(F) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; 
‘‘(G) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and 
‘‘(H) $65,000,000 for fiscal year 2023 and 
each fiscal year thereafter.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents of Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 is
256 
amended by striking the item relating to section 4405 by 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 4405. Gus Schumacher food insecurity nutrition incentive program.’’. 
SEC. 4004. RE-EVALUATION OF THRIFTY FOOD PLAN. 
Section 3(u) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2012(u)) is amended by inserting after the 1st 
sentence the following: 
‘‘By 2022 and at 5-year intervals thereafter, the Secretary 
shall re-evaluate and publish the market baskets of the 
thrifty food plan based on current food prices, food com-
position data, and consumption patterns.’’. 
SEC. 4005. FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS ON INDIAN 
RESERVATIONS. 
Section 4(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2013(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (6)— 
(A) in the heading by striking ‘‘LOCALLY- 
GROWN’’ and inserting ‘‘LOCALLY- AND REGION-
ALLY-GROWN’’, 
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘lo-
cally-grown’’ and inserting ‘‘locally- and region-
ally-grown’’, 
(C) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘LOCALLY GROWN’’ and 
inserting ‘‘LOCALLY- AND
REGIONALLY- 
GROWN’’, and
257 
(ii) by striking ‘‘locally-grown’’ and 
inserting ‘‘locally- and regionally-grown’’, 
(D) by amending subparagraph (D) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(D) PURCHASE OF FOODS.—In carrying 
out this paragraph, the Secretary shall pur-
chase or offer to purchase those traditional 
foods that may be procured cost-effectively.’’; 
(E) by striking subparagraph (E), and 
(F) in subparagraph (F)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘(F)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(E)’’, and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’, and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) FUNDS AVAILABILITY.—Funds made avail-
able for a fiscal year to carry out this subsection 
shall remain available for obligation for a period of 
2 fiscal years.’’. 
SEC. 4006. UPDATE TO CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY. 
Effective October 1, 2020, section 5 of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended— 
(1) in the 2d sentence of subsection (a)—
258 
(A) by striking ‘‘receives benefits’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(1) receives cash assistance or ongoing 
and substantial services’’, 
(B) by striking ‘‘, supplemental security’’ 
and inserting ‘‘with an income eligibility limit of 
not more than 130 percent of the poverty line 
as defined in section 5(c)(1), (2) is elderly or 
disabled and receives cash assistance or ongoing 
and substantial services under a State program 
funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) with an 
income eligibility limit of not more than 200 
percent of the poverty line as defined in section 
5(c)(1), (3) receives supplemental security’’, 
and 
(C) by striking ‘‘or aid’’ and inserting ‘‘or 
(4) receives aid’’, and 
(2) in subsection (j)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or who receives benefits’’ 
and inserting ‘‘cash assistance or ongoing and 
substantial services’’ and 
(B) by striking ‘‘to have’’ and inserting 
‘‘with an income eligibility limit of not more 
than 130 percent of the poverty line as defined 
in section 5(c)(1), or who is elderly or disabled
259 
and receives cash assistance or ongoing and 
substantial services under a State program 
funded under part A of title IV of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) with an income eligibility 
limit of not more than 200 percent of the pov-
erty line as defined in section 5(c)(1), to have’’. 
SEC. 4007. BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING. 
(a) EXCLUSION OF BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUS-
ING.—Section 5(d) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2014(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (18) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end, 
(2) in paragraph (19)(B) by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(20) the value of an allowance received under 
section 403 of title 37 of the United States Code 
that does not exceed $500 monthly.’’. 
(b) UPDATE TO EXCESS SHELTER EXPENSE DEDUC-
TION.—Section 5(e)(6)(A) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(6)(A)) is amended by inserting 
before the period at the end the following: 
‘‘, except that for a household that receives the 
allowance under section 403 of title 37, United 
States Code, only the expenses in excess of that
260 
allowance shall be counted towards a house-
hold’s expenses for the calculation of the excess 
shelter deduction’’. 
SEC. 4008. EARNED INCOME DEDUCTION. 
Section 5(e)(2)(B) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(2)(B)) is amended by striking 
‘‘20’’ and inserting ‘‘22’’. 
SEC. 4009. SIMPLIFIED HOMELESS HOUSING COSTS. 
Section 5(e)(6)(D) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(6)(D)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii), 
and 
(2) by striking clause (i) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) ALTERNATIVE DEDUCTION.—The 
State agency shall allow a deduction of 
$143 a month for households— 
‘‘(I) in which all members are 
homeless individuals; 
‘‘(II) that are not receiving free 
shelter throughout the month; and 
‘‘(III) that do not opt to claim an 
excess 
shelter 
expense 
deduction 
under subparagraph (A).
261 
‘‘(ii) ADJUSTMENT.—For fiscal year 
2019 and each subsequent fiscal year the 
amount of the homeless shelter deduction 
specified in clause (i) shall be adjusted to 
reflect changes for the 12-month period 
ending the preceding November 30 in the 
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Con-
sumers published by the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics of the Department of Labor.’’. 
SEC. 4010. AVAILABILITY OF STANDARD UTILITY ALLOW-
ANCES BASED ON RECEIPT OF ENERGY AS-
SISTANCE. 
(a) ALLOWANCE TO RECIPIENTS OF ENERGY ASSIST-
ANCE.— 
(1) STANDARD UTILITY ALLOWANCE.—Section 
5(e)(6)(C)(iv)(I) of the of the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(6)(C)(iv)(I)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘with an elderly or disabled 
member’’ after ‘‘households’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
2605(f)(2)(A) of the Low-Income Home Energy As-
sistance Act is amended by inserting ‘‘received by a 
household with an elderly or disabled member’’ be-
fore ‘‘, consistent with section 5(e)(6)(C)(iv)(I)’’.
262 
(b) 
THIRD-PARTY
ENERGY
ASSISTANCE
PAY-
MENTS.—Section 5(k)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(k)(4)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ‘‘without 
an elderly or disabled member’’ after ‘‘household’’ 
the 1st place it appears; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B) by inserting ‘‘with an 
elderly or disabled member’’ after ‘‘household’’ the 
1st place it appears. 
SEC. 4011. CHILD SUPPORT; COOPERATION WITH CHILD 
SUPPORT AGENCIES. 
(a) DEDUCTIONS FOR CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS.— 
(1) AMENDMENTS.—Section 5(e) of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking paragraph (4), and 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and 
(6) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 5 of 
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2014) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (k)(4)(B) by striking 
‘‘(e)(6)’’ and inserting ‘‘(e)(5)’’, and 
(B) in subsection (n) by striking ‘‘Regard-
less of whether a State agency elects to provide
263 
a deduction under subsection (e)(4), the’’ and 
inserting ‘‘The’’. 
(b) COOPERATION WITH CHILD SUPPORT AGEN-
CIES.— 
(1) AMENDMENTS.—Section 6 of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in subsection (l)(1) by striking ‘‘At the 
option of a State agency, subject’’ and inserting 
‘‘Subject’’, 
(B) in subsection (m)(1) by striking ‘‘At 
the option of a State agency, subject’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Subject’’, and 
(C) by striking subsection (n). 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 5(a) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2014(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘and (r)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘and (p)’’. 
SEC. 4012. ADJUSTMENT TO ASSET LIMITATIONS. 
Section 5(g)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(g)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$2,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$7,000’’, and
264 
(B) by striking ‘‘$3,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$12,000’’, and— 
(2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘2008’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2019’’. 
SEC. 4013. UPDATED VEHICLE ALLOWANCE. 
Section 5(g) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2014(g)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)(i)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Begin-
ning’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(I) Beginning’’, and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(II) Beginning on October 1, 
2019, and each October 1 thereafter, 
the amount specified in paragraph 
(2)(B)(iv) shall be adjusted in the 
manner described in subclause (I).’’, 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by amending subparagraph (B)(iv) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) subject to subparagraph (C), 
with respect to any licensed vehicle that is
265 
used for household transportation or to ob-
tain or continue employment— 
‘‘(I) 1 vehicle for each licensed 
driver who is a member of such house-
hold to the extent that the fair market 
value of the vehicle exceeds $12,000; 
and 
‘‘(II) each additional vehicle; 
and’’, and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (D). 
SEC. 4014. SAVINGS EXCLUDED FROM ASSETS. 
Section 5(g) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2014(g)), as amended by section 4013, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)(i) by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(III) Beginning on October 1, 
2019, and each October 1 thereafter, 
the amount specified in paragraph 
(2)(B)(v) shall be adjusted in the 
manner described in subclause (I).’’, 
and 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B)(v) by inserting ‘‘to the 
extent that the value exceeds $2,000’’ after ‘‘ac-
count’’.
266 
SEC. 4015. WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. 
(a) CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION.—Section 6(d) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(d)) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘No’’ and inserting 
‘‘Subject to subparagraph (C), no’’, 
(ii) by striking ‘‘over the age of 15 
and under the age of 60’’ and inserting ‘‘at 
least 18 years of age and less than 60 
years of age’’, 
(iii) by amending clause (i) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(i) without good cause, fails to work 
(including volunteer work that is limited to 
6 months out of a 12-month period) or re-
fuses to participate in either an employ-
ment and training program established in 
paragraph (4), a work program, or any 
combination of work, an employment and 
training program, or work program— 
‘‘(I) a minimum of 20 hours per 
week, averaged monthly in fiscal years 
2021 through 2025; or
267 
‘‘(II) a minimum of 25 hours per 
week, averaged monthly in fiscal years 
2026 and each fiscal year there-
after;’’. 
(iv) by striking clauses (ii) and (vi), 
(v) in clause (iv) by adding ‘‘or’’ at 
the end, 
(vi) in clause (v)(II) by striking ‘‘30 
hours per week; or’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
hourly requirements applicable under para-
graph (1)(B)(i).’’, and 
(vii) by redesignating clauses (iii), 
(iv), and (v) as clauses (ii), (iii), and (iv), 
respectively, 
(B) by striking subparagraph (B), 
(C) by amending subparagraph (C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) 
LIMITATION.—Subparagraph 
(B) 
shall not apply to an individual during the first 
month that individual would otherwise become 
subject to subparagraph (B) and be found in 
noncompliance with such subparagraph.’’, 
(D) in subparagraph (D)— 
(i) in clause (iii)(I) by striking ‘‘(A)’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘(B)’’,
268 
(ii) 
in 
clause 
(iv) 
by 
striking 
‘‘(A)(v)’’and inserting ‘‘(B)(iv)’’, and 
(iii) by striking clauses (v) and (vi), 
(E) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
and (D) as subparagraphs (B) and (J), respec-
tively, 
(F) by inserting before subparagraph (B), 
as so redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF WORK PROGRAM.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘work program’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) a program under title I of the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
Act; 
‘‘(ii) a program under section 236 of 
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2296); 
‘‘(iii) a program of employment and 
training operated or supervised by a State 
or political subdivision of a State that 
meets standards approved by the chief ex-
ecutive officer of the State and the Sec-
retary, other than a program under para-
graph (4); 
‘‘(iv) a program of employment and 
training for veterans operated by the De-
269 
partment of Labor or the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, and approved by the Sec-
retary.’’, and 
(G) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 
the following: 
‘‘(D) TRANSITION PERIOD.—During each 
of the fiscal years 2019 and 2020, States shall 
continue to implement and enforce the work 
and employment and training program require-
ments consistent with this subsection, sub-
section (e), subsection (o) excluding paragraphs 
(4) and (6)(F), section 7(i), section 11(e)(19), 
and section 16 (excluding subparagraphs (A), 
(B), (C), and (D) of subsection (h)(1)) as those 
provisions were in effect on the day before the 
effective date of this subparagraph. 
‘‘(E) INELIGIBILITY.— 
‘‘(i) NOTIFICATION
OF
FAILURE
TO 
MEET WORK REQUIREMENTS.—The State 
agency shall issue a notice of adverse ac-
tion to an individual not later than 10 days 
after the State agency determines that the 
individual has failed to meet the require-
ments applicable under subparagraph (B).
270 
‘‘(ii) FIRST VIOLATION.—The 1st time 
an individual receives a notice of adverse 
action issued under clause (i), the indi-
vidual shall remain ineligible to participate 
in the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program until— 
‘‘(I) the date that is 12 months 
after the date the individual became 
ineligible; 
‘‘(II) the date the individual ob-
tains employment sufficient to meet 
the hourly requirements applicable 
under subparagraph (B)(i); or 
‘‘(III) the date that the indi-
vidual is no longer subject to the re-
quirements of subparagraph (B); 
whichever is earliest. 
‘‘(iii) SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT VIO-
LATION.—The 2d or subsequent time an 
individual receives a notice of adverse ac-
tion issued under clause (i), the individual 
shall remain ineligible to participate in the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program 
until—
271 
‘‘(I) the date that is 36 months 
after the date the individual became 
ineligible; 
‘‘(II) the date the individual ob-
tains employment sufficient to meet 
the hourly requirements applicable 
under subparagraph (B)(i); or 
‘‘(III) the date the individual is 
no longer subject to the requirements 
of subparagraph (B); 
whichever is earliest. 
‘‘(F) WAIVER.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—On the request of 
a State agency and with the approval of 
the chief executive officer of the State, the 
Secretary may waive the applicability of 
subparagraph (B) to individuals in the 
State if the Secretary makes a determina-
tion that the area in which the individuals 
reside— 
‘‘(I) has an unemployment rate 
of over 10 percent; 
‘‘(II) is designated as a Labor 
Surplus Area by the Employment and 
Training Administration of the De-
272 
partment of Labor for the current fis-
cal year based on the criteria for ex-
ceptional circumstances as described 
in section 654.5 of title 20 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations; 
‘‘(III) has a 24-month average 
unemployment rate 20 percent or 
higher than the national average for 
the same 24-month period unless the 
24-month average unemployment rate 
of the area is less than 7 percent, ex-
cept that the 24-month period shall 
begin no earlier than the most recent 
24-month period for which Depart-
ment of Labor unemployment rates 
are available, nor earlier than the 24- 
month period the Employment and 
Training Administration of the De-
partment of Labor uses to designate 
Labor Surplus Areas for the current 
fiscal year; or 
‘‘(IV) is in a State— 
‘‘(aa) that is in an extended 
benefit period (within the mean-
ing of section 203 of the Federal-
273 
State Extended Unemployment 
Compensation Act of 1970); or 
‘‘(bb) in which temporary or 
emergency unemployment com-
pensation is being provided under 
any Federal law. 
‘‘(ii) JURISDICTIONS
WITH
LIMITED 
DATA.—In carrying out clause (i), in the 
case of a jurisdiction for which Bureau of 
Labor Statistics unemployment data is lim-
ited or unavailable, such as an Indian Res-
ervation or a territory of the United 
States, a State may support its request 
based on other economic indicators as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(iii) LIMIT ON COMBINING JURISDIC-
TIONS.—In carrying out clause (i), the 
Secretary may waive the applicability of 
subparagraph (B) only to a State or indi-
vidual jurisdictions within a State, except 
in the case of combined jurisdictions that 
are designated as Labor Market Areas by 
the Department of Labor. 
‘‘(iv) REPORT.—The Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Agriculture of
274 
the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate, and shall make 
available to the public, an annual report on 
the basis for granting a waiver under 
clause (i). 
‘‘(G) PERCENTAGE EXEMPTION.— 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(I) 
CASELOAD.—The 
term 
‘caseload’ means the average monthly 
number of individuals receiving sup-
plemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram benefits during the 12-month 
period ending the preceding June 30. 
‘‘(II) COVERED
INDIVIDUAL.— 
The term ‘covered individual’ means a 
member of a household that receives 
supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram benefits, or an individual denied 
eligibility for supplemental nutrition 
assistance program benefits solely due 
to the applicability of subparagraph 
(B), who—
275 
‘‘(aa) is not eligible for an 
exception under paragraph (2); 
‘‘(bb) does not reside in an 
area covered by a waiver granted 
under subparagraph (F). 
‘‘(ii) GENERAL
RULE.—Subject to 
clauses (iii) through (v), a State agency 
may provide an exemption from the re-
quirements of subparagraph (B) for cov-
ered individuals. 
‘‘(iii) FISCAL
YEARS
2021
THROUGH 
2025.—Subject to clauses (v) and (vi), for 
each of the fiscal years 2021 through 
2025, a State agency may provide a num-
ber of exemptions such that the average 
monthly number of the exemptions in ef-
fect during the fiscal year does not exceed 
15 percent of the number of covered indi-
viduals in the State in fiscal year 2019, as 
estimated by the Secretary, based on the 
survey conducted to carry out section 16(c) 
for the most recent fiscal year and such 
other factors as the Secretary considers 
appropriate due to the timing and limita-
tions of the survey.
276 
‘‘(iv) FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND THERE-
AFTER.—Subject to clauses (v) and (vi), 
for fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year 
thereafter, a State agency may provide a 
number of exemptions such that the aver-
age monthly number of the exemptions in 
effect during the fiscal year does not ex-
ceed 12 percent of the number of covered 
individuals in the State in fiscal year 2019, 
as estimated by the Secretary, based on 
the survey conducted to carry out section 
16(c) for the most recent fiscal year and 
such other factors as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate due to the timing and 
limitations of the survey. 
‘‘(v) CASELOAD ADJUSTMENTS.—The 
Secretary shall adjust the number of indi-
viduals estimated for a State under clause 
(iii) during a fiscal year if the number of 
members of households that receive supple-
mental nutrition assistance program bene-
fits in the State varies from the State’s 
caseload by more than 10 percent, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(vi) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—
277 
‘‘(I) REPORTS BY STATE AGEN-
CIES.—A State agency shall submit 
such reports to the Secretary as the 
Secretary determines are necessary to 
ensure compliance with this para-
graph. 
‘‘(II) ANNUAL REPORT BY THE 
SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall an-
nually compile and submit to the 
Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry of the Senate, and shall 
make available to the public, an an-
nual report that contains the reports 
submitted under subclause (I) by 
State agencies. 
‘‘(H) OTHER PROGRAM RULES.—Nothing 
in this subsection shall make an individual eligi-
ble for benefits under this Act if the individual 
is not otherwise eligible for benefits under the 
other provisions of this Act. 
‘‘(I) HOUSEHOLD INELIGIBILTY.—If an in-
dividual becomes ineligible to participate in the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program as a
278 
household member due to failure to meet the 
requirements under subparagraph (B), the re-
maining household members (including chil-
dren), shall not become ineligible to apply to 
participate in the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program due to such individual’s ineligi-
bility.’’. 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the 1st sentence— 
(i) by striking ‘‘paragraph (1)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘paragraph (1)(B)’’, and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘(E)’’ and all that fol-
lows through the period at the end, and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(E) receiving weekly earnings which equal the minimum 
hourly rate under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Stand-
ards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)), multiplied by the 
hourly requirement as specified in subparagraph (B); (F) 
medically certified as mentally or physically unfit for em-
ployment; or (G) a pregnant woman.’’, and 
(B) by striking the last sentence, 
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘registration 
requirements’’ and inserting ‘‘requirement’’, 
(4) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
279 
(i) by redesignating clause (ii) as 
clause (iii), and 
(ii) by inserting after clause (i) the 
following: 
‘‘(ii) MANDATORY
MINIMUM
SERV-
ICES.—Each State agency shall offer em-
ployment and training program services 
sufficient for all individuals subject to the 
requirements of paragraph (1)(B)(i) who 
are not currently ineligible pursuant to 
paragraph (1)(E), exempt pursuant to sub-
paragraphs (F) and (G) or paragraph (2) 
of subsection (d), and for all individuals 
covered by paragraph (1)(C), to meet the 
hourly requirements specified in paragraph 
(1)(B)(i) to the extent that such require-
ments will not be satisfied by hours of 
work or participation in a work program.’’, 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by inserting after ‘‘contains’’ the 
following: 
‘‘case management services consisting of comprehensive 
intake assessments, individualized service plans, progress 
monitoring, and coordination with service providers, and’’,
280 
(ii) by amending clause (i) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(i) Supervised job search programs that occur 
at State-approved locations in which the activities of 
participants shall be directly supervised and the tim-
ing and activities of participants tracked in accord-
ance with guidelines set forth by the State.’’, 
(iii) in clause (ii) by striking ‘‘jobs 
skills assessments, job finding clubs, train-
ing in techniques for’’ and inserting ‘‘em-
ployability assessments, training in tech-
niques to increase’’, 
(iv) in clause (iv) in the 1st sentence 
by inserting ‘‘, including subsidized em-
ployment, apprenticeships, and other work 
experience’’ before the period at the end, 
(v) in clause (v) by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding family literacy and financial lit-
eracy,’’ after ‘‘literacy’’, and 
(vi) in clause (vii) by striking ‘‘not 
more than’’, 
(C) in subparagraph (F)— 
(i) clause (ii) by striking ‘‘one hun-
dred and twenty hours per month’’ and in-
281 
serting ‘‘the hours required under section 
6(d)(1)(B)’’, and 
(ii) by striking clause (iii), 
(D) by striking subparagraphs (D) and 
(E), and inserting the following: 
‘‘(D) Each State agency shall establish requirements 
for participation by non-exempt individuals in the employ-
ment and training program components listed in clauses 
(i) through (vii) of subparagraph (B). Such requirements 
may vary among participants.’’, 
(E) in subparagraph (H) by striking 
‘‘(B)(v)’’ and inserting ‘‘(B)(iv)’’, and 
(F) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) 
through (M) as subparagraphs (E) through (L), 
respectively. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) AMENDMENTS TO THE FOOD AND NUTRI-
TION ACT OF 2008.—The Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended— 
(A) 
in 
section 
5(d)(14) 
by 
striking 
‘‘6(d)(4)(I)’’ and inserting ‘‘6(d)(4)(G)’’, and 
(B) in section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(dd) by 
striking ‘‘(4)(F)(i), or (4)(K)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(4)(A)(ii), (4)(E)(i), or (4)(J)’’. 
(2) AMENDMENT TO OTHER LAWS.—
282 
(A) INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986.— 
Section 51(d)(8)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 51(d)(8)(A)(ii)) is 
amended— 
(i) in subclause (I) by striking ‘‘, or’’ 
and inserting a period, 
(ii) by striking ‘‘family—’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘(I) receiving’’ and 
inserting ‘‘family receiving’’, and 
(iii) by striking subclause (II). 
(B) WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPOR-
TUNITY ACT.—The Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (Public Law 113–128; 128 
Stat. 1425) is amended— 
(i) in section 103(a)(2) by striking 
subparagraph (D), and 
(ii) in section 121(b)(2)(B) by strik-
ing clause (iv). 
(c) RELATED REQUIREMENTS.—Section 6 of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015) is 
amended— 
(1) by amending subsection (e)(5) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(5) is—
283 
‘‘(A) a parent or other household member 
with responsibility for the care of a dependent 
child under age 6 or of an incapacitated person; 
or 
‘‘(B) a parent or other household member 
with responsibility for the care of a dependent 
child above the age of 5 and under the age of 
12 for whom adequate child care is not avail-
able to enable the individual to attend class and 
satisfy the requirements of paragraph (4); 
and’’. 
(2) by striking subsection (o). 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—The Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in section 6, as amended by section 4011 
and subsection (c), by redesignating subsections (p) 
through (s) as subparagraphs (n) through (q), re-
spectively, and 
(2) in section 7(i)(1) by striking ‘‘6(o)(2)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘6(d)(1)(B)’’. 
(e) STATE PLAN.—Section 11(e)(19) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(19)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘geographic areas and households to be cov-
ered under such program, and the basis, including any
284 
cost information,’’ and inserting ‘‘extent to which such 
programs will be carried out in coordination with the ac-
tivities carried out under title I of the Workforce Innova-
tion and Opportunity Act, the plan for meeting the min-
imum services requirement under section 6(d)(4)(A)(ii) in-
cluding any cost information, and the basis’’. 
(f) FUNDING OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PRO-
GRAMS.—Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(h)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking 
‘‘$90,000,000’’ and all that follows through the 
period at the end and inserting the following: 
‘‘under section 18(a)(1)— 
‘‘(i) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; 
‘‘(ii) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 
2020; and 
‘‘(iii) $1,000,000,000 for each fiscal 
year thereafter.’’, 
(B) by amending subparagraph (B)(ii) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(ii) takes into account— 
‘‘(I) for fiscal years 2019 and 
2020, the number of individuals who 
are not exempt from the work require-
285 
ment under section 6(o) as that sec-
tion existed on the day before the date 
of the enactment of the Agriculture 
and Nutrition Act of 2018; and 
‘‘(II) for fiscal years 2021 and 
each fiscal year thereafter, the num-
ber of individuals who are not exempt 
from the requirements under section 
6(d)(1)(B).’’, 
(C) by amending subparagraph (C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) RETURN OF UNUSED EMPLOYMENT 
AND TRAINING FUNDS TO THE TREASURY.—If 
a State agency will not expend all of the funds 
allocated to the State agency for a fiscal year 
under subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall de-
posit such unused funds in the general receipts 
of the Treasury.’’, 
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking 
‘‘$50,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000’’, and 
(E) by amending subparagraph (E) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(E) RESERVATION
OF
FUNDS.—Of the 
funds made available under this paragraph for 
fiscal year 2021 and for each fiscal year there-
286 
after, not more than $150,000,000 shall be re-
served for allocation to States to provide train-
ing services by eligible providers identified 
under section 122 of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act for participants in the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program to 
meet the hourly requirements under section 
6(d)(1)(B) of this Act.’’, and 
(2) in paragraph (5)(C)— 
(A) in clause (ii) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 
end, 
(B) in clause (iii) by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a period, and 
(C) by striking clause (iv). 
(g) WORKFARE.— 
(1) AMENDMENTS.—Section 20(b) of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 3029(b) is 
amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘6(d)(1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘6(d)(1)(B)’’, and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘or (F)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(F), or (G)’’, and 
(B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘sixteen’’ 
and inserting ‘‘18’’.
287 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—The Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) 
is amended— 
(A) in section 16(h)— 
(i) in paragraph (1)(F)— 
(I) in clause (i)— 
(aa) in subclause (I) by in-
serting ‘‘(as in effect on the day 
before the date of the enactment 
of the Agriculture and Nutrition 
Act of 2018)’’ after ‘‘this Act’’, 
and 
(bb) in subclause (II)(bb) by 
inserting ‘‘(as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enact-
ment of the Agriculture and Nu-
trition Act of 2018)’’ before the 
period at the end, 
(II) in clause (ii)— 
(aa) in subclause (II)(cc) by 
inserting ‘‘(as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enact-
ment of the Agriculture and Nu-
trition Act of 2018)’’ after ‘‘20’’, 
and
288 
(bb) 
in 
subclause 
(III)(ee)(AA) by inserting ‘‘as in 
effect on the day before the date 
of the enactment of the Agri-
culture and Nutrition Act of 
2018’’ after ‘‘6(o)’’, and 
(III) in clause (vi)(I) by inserting 
‘‘as in effect on the day before the 
date of the enactment of the Agri-
culture and Nutrition Act of 2018’’ 
after ‘‘6(d)’’, and 
(ii) in paragraph (3) by striking 
‘‘under section 6(d)(4)(I)(i)(II)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘for dependent care expenses under 
section 6(d)(4)’’, and 
(B) in section 17(b) by striking paragraph 
(2). 
(h) EQUITABLE TREATMENT
OF HOUSEHOLDS.— 
Section 11(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2020(e)), as amended by section 4001, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(27) that the State agency may, for purposes 
of ensuring equitable treatment among all house-
holds (including those containing a married couple), 
request earned income data from the Internal Rev-
289 
enue Service relevant to determining eligibility to re-
ceive supplemental nutrition assistance program ben-
efits and determining the correct amount of such 
benefits at the time of household certification.’’. 
SEC. 4016. MODERNIZATION OF ELECTRONIC BENEFIT 
TRANSFER REGULATIONS. 
Section 7(h)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in the 1st sentence by inserting ‘‘and shall 
periodically review such regulations and modify such 
regulations to take into account evolving technology 
and comparable industry standards’’ before the pe-
riod at the end, and 
(2) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(C)(i)’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘abuse; and’’, by inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C)(i) risk-based measures to maximize the se-
curity of a system using the most effective tech-
nology available that the State agency considers ap-
propriate and cost effective including consideration 
of recipient access and ease of use and which may 
include personal identification numbers, photo-
graphic identification on electronic benefit transfer 
cards, alternatives for securing transactions, and
290 
other measures to protect against fraud and abuse; 
and’’, and 
(B) by moving the left margin of clause (ii) 
4 ems to the left. 
SEC. 4017. MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES. 
Section 7(h)(14) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(14) is amended— 
(1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Secretary shall authorize the use 
of mobile technologies for the purpose of access-
ing supplemental nutrition assistance program 
benefits.’’, 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) by striking the heading and inserting 
‘‘DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS
ON
ACCESS
OF 
BENEFITS THROUGH MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES’’, 
(B) by amending clause (i) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(i) DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.— 
Before authorizing implementation of sub-
paragraph (A) in all States, the Secretary 
shall approve not more than 5 demonstra-
tion project proposals submitted by State
291 
agencies that will pilot the use of mobile 
technologies for supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program benefits access.’’, 
(C) in clause (ii)— 
(i) in the heading by striking ‘‘DEM-
ONSTRATION
PROJECTS’’ and inserting 
‘‘PROJECT REQUIREMENTS’’, 
(ii) by striking ‘‘retail food store’’ the 
first place it appears and inserting ‘‘State 
agency’’, 
(iii) by striking ‘‘includes’’, 
(iv) by striking subclauses (I), (II), 
(III), and (IV), and inserting the following: 
‘‘(I) provides recipient protec-
tions regarding privacy, ease of use, 
household access to benefits, and sup-
port similar to the protections pro-
vided under existing methods; 
‘‘(II) ensures that all recipients, 
including those without access to mo-
bile payment technology and those 
who shop across State borders, have a 
means of benefit access; 
‘‘(III) requires retail food stores, 
unless 
exempt 
under 
section
292 
7(f)(2)(B), to bear the costs of acquir-
ing and arranging for the implementa-
tion of point-of-sale equipment and 
supplies for the redemption of benefits 
that are accessed through mobile tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(IV) requires that foods pur-
chased with benefits issued under this 
section through mobile technologies 
are purchased at a price not higher 
than the price of the same food pur-
chased by other methods used by the 
retail food store, as determined by the 
Secretary; 
‘‘(V) ensures adequate docu-
mentation for each authorized trans-
action, adequate security measures to 
deter fraud, and adequate access to 
retail food stores that accept benefits 
accessed through mobile technologies, 
as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(VI) provides for an evaluation 
of the demonstration project, includ-
ing, but not limited to, an evaluation 
of household access to benefits;
293 
‘‘(VII) requires that the State 
demonstration projects are voluntary 
for all retail food stores and that all 
recipients are able to use benefits in 
non-participating retail food stores; 
and 
‘‘(VIII) meets other criteria as 
established by the Secretary.’’, 
(D) by amending clause (iii) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(iv) DATE OF PROJECT APPROVAL.— 
The Secretary shall solicit and approve the 
qualifying demonstration projects required 
under subparagraph (B)(i) not later than 
January 1, 2020.’’, and 
(E) by inserting after clause (ii) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) PRIORITY.—The Secretary may 
prioritize demonstration project proposals 
that would— 
‘‘(I) reduce fraud; 
‘‘(II) encourage positive nutri-
tional outcomes; and 
‘‘(III) meet such other criteria as 
determined by the Secretary.’’, and
294 
(3) in subparagraph (C)(i)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘2022’’, and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘requires further study by 
way of an extended pilot period or’’ after 
‘‘States’’ the 2d place it appears . 
SEC. 4018. PROHIBITED FEES. 
(a) LIMITATION.—Section 7(h)(13) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(13)) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(13) FEES.—No interchange fees shall apply 
to electronic benefit transfer transactions under this 
subsection. Neither a State, nor any agent, con-
tractor, or subcontractor of a State who facilitates 
the provision of supplemental nutrition assistance 
program benefits in such State may impose a fee for 
switching (as defined in subsection (j)(1)(H) or 
routing such benefits.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 7(j)(1)(H) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(H) SWITCHING.—The term ‘’switching’’ 
means the routing of an intrastate or interstate 
transaction that consists of transmitting the de-
tails of a transaction electronically recorded
295 
through the use of an electronic benefit transfer 
card in one State to the issuer of the card that 
may be in the same or different State.’’. 
SEC. 4019. REPLACEMENT OF EBT CARDS. 
Section 7(h)(8)(B)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(8)(B)(ii)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘an excessive number of lost cards’’ and inserting ‘‘2 
lost cards in a 12-month period’’. 
SEC. 4020. BENEFIT RECOVERY. 
Section 7(h)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(12)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by inserting ‘‘, or due 
to the death of all members of the household’’ after 
‘‘inactivity’’, 
(2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘6’’ and 
inserting ‘‘3’’, and 
(3) in subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘12 
months’’ and inserting ‘‘6 months, or upon 
verification that all members of the household are 
deceased’’. 
SEC. 4021. REQUIREMENTS FOR ONLINE ACCEPTANCE OF 
BENEFITS. 
(a) DEFINITION.—Section 3(o)(1) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(o)(1)) is amended
296 
by striking ‘‘or house-to-house trade route’’ and inserting 
‘‘, house-to-house trade route, or online entity’’. 
(b) ACCEPTANCE OF BENEFITS.—Section 7(k) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(k)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting ‘‘AC-
CEPTANCE OF PROGRAM BENEFITS THROUGH ON-
LINE TRANSACTIONS’’, 
(2) in paragraph (4) by striking subparagraph 
(C), and 
(3) by striking paragraph (5). 
SEC. 4022. NATIONAL GATEWAY. 
(a) ISSUANCE OF BENEFITS.—Section 7 of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d) by striking ‘‘benefits by 
benefit issuers’’ and inserting ‘‘benefit issuers and 
other independent sales organizations, third-party 
processors, and web service providers that provide 
electronic benefit transfer services or equipment to 
retail food stores and wholesale food concerns,’’, and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(l) REQUIREMENT TO ROUTE ALL SUPPLEMENTAL 
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFIT TRANSFER 
TRANSACTIONS THROUGH A NATIONAL GATEWAY.—
297 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘independent sales organi-
zation’ means a person or entity that— 
‘‘(i) is not a third-party processor; 
and 
‘‘(ii) engages in sales or service to re-
tail food stores with respect to point-of-sale 
equipment necessary for electronic benefit 
transfer transaction processing. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘third-party processor’ 
means an entity, including a retail food store 
operating its own point-of-sale terminals, that is 
capable of routing electronic transfer benefit 
transactions for authorization. 
‘‘(C) The term ‘web service provider’ 
means an entity that operates a generic online 
purchasing website that can be customized for 
online electronic benefit transfer transactions 
for authorized retail food stores. 
‘‘(2) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (5), 
the Secretary shall establish a national gateway for 
the purpose of routing all supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program benefit transfer transactions (in 
this subsection referred to as ‘transactions’ unless
298 
the context specifies otherwise) to the appropriate 
benefit issuers for purposes of transaction validation 
and settlement. 
‘‘(3) 
REQUIREMENTS
TO
ROUTE
TRANS-
ACTIONS.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) ensure that protections regarding pri-
vacy, security, ease of use, and access relating 
to supplemental nutrition assistance benefits 
are maintained for benefit recipients and retail 
food stores; 
‘‘(B) ensure redundancy for processing of 
transactions; 
‘‘(C) ensure real-time monitoring of trans-
actions; 
‘‘(D) ensure that all entities that connect 
to such gateway, and all others that connect to 
such entities, meet and follow transaction mes-
saging standards, and other requirements, es-
tablished by the Secretary; 
‘‘(E) ensure the security of transactions by 
using the most effective technology available 
that the Secretary considers to be appropriate 
and cost-effective; and 
‘‘(F) ensure that all transactions are rout-
ed through such gateway.
299 
‘‘(4) STATE
AGENCY
ACTION.—Each State 
agency shall ensure that all of its benefit issuers 
connect to such gateway. A State agency may opt to 
require its benefit issuer to route cash transactions 
through such gateway, subject to terms established 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(5) ROUTING OF TRANSACTIONS THROUGH A 
NATIONAL GATEWAY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Before the Secretary 
implements in all the States a national gateway 
established under paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall conduct a feasibility study to assess the 
feasibility of routing transactions through such 
gateway. 
‘‘(B) FEASIBILITY STUDY.—The feasibility 
study conducted under subparagraph (A) shall 
provide, at a minimum, all of the following: 
‘‘(i) A comprehensive analysis of op-
portunities and challenges presented by im-
plementation of such gateway. 
‘‘(ii) One or more options for carrying 
forward each of such opportunities and for 
mitigating each of such challenges.
300 
‘‘(iii) Data for purposes of analyzing 
the implementation of, and on-going cost 
of managing, such gateway. 
‘‘(iv) One or more models for cost- 
neutral on-going operation of a national 
gateway. 
‘‘(v) Other criteria, including security 
criteria, established by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) DATE OF COMPLETION OF STUDY.— 
The Secretary shall complete the feasibility 
study required by subparagraph (B) not later 
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. 
‘‘(D) IMPLEMENTATION
OF
A
NATIONAL 
GATEWAY.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the completion of such study, the Sec-
retary shall complete the nationwide implemen-
tation of a national gateway established under 
paragraph (2) unless the Secretary determines, 
based on such study, that more time is needed 
to implement such gateway nationwide or that 
nationwide implementation of such gateway is 
not in the best interest of the operation of the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program.
301 
‘‘(E) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—If the Sec-
retary makes a determination described in sub-
paragraph (D), the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate 
a report that includes the basis of such deter-
mination. 
‘‘(F) 
NONDISCLOSURE
OF
INFORMA-
TION.—Any information collected through such 
gateway about a specific retail food store, 
wholesale food concern, person, or other entity, 
and any investigative methodology or criteria 
used for program integrity purposes that oper-
ates at or in conjunction with such gateway, 
shall be exempt from the disclosure require-
ments of section 552(a) of title 5 of the United 
States Code pursuant to section 552(b)(3)(B) 
of title 5 of the United States Code. The Sec-
retary shall limit the use or disclosure of infor-
mation obtained under this subsection in a 
manner consistent with section 9(c). 
‘‘(6) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$10,500,000 for fiscal year 2019, and $9,500,000
302 
for each of the fiscal years 2020 through 2023, to 
carry out this subsection. Not more than $1,000,000 
of the funds appropriated under this paragraph may 
be used for the feasibility study under paragraph 
(5)(B). 
‘‘(7) 
GATEWAY
SUSTAINABILITY.—Benefit 
issuers and third-party processors shall pay fees to 
the gateway operator, in a manner prescribed by the 
Secretary, to directly access and route transactions 
through the national gateway. 
‘‘(A) PURPOSE.—The Secretary shall en-
sure that fees are collected and used solely for 
the operation of the gateway. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—Fees shall be established 
by the Secretary in amounts proportionate to 
the number of transactions routed through the 
gateway by each benefit issuer and third-party 
processor, and based on the cost of operating 
the gateway in a fiscal year. 
‘‘(C) ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary shall 
evaluate annually the cost of operating such 
gateway and shall adjust the fee in effect for a 
fiscal year to reflect the cost of operating such 
gateway, except that an adjustment under this 
subparagraph for any fiscal year may not ex-
303 
ceed 10 percent of the fee charged under this 
paragraph in the preceding fiscal year.’’. 
(b) APPROVAL
OF
RETAIL
FOOD
STORES
AND 
WHOLESALE FOOD CONCERNS.—The 1st sentence of sec-
tion 9(c) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2018(c)) is amended by inserting ‘‘contracts for electronic 
benefit transfer services and equipment, records necessary 
to validate the FNS authorization number to accept and 
redeem benefits,’’ after ‘‘invoices,’’. 
SEC. 4023. ACCESS TO STATE SYSTEMS. 
(a) RECORDS.—Section 11(a)(3)(B) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020(a)(3)(B)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Records described’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘All records, and the entire information systems 
in which records are contained, that are covered’’, 
and 
(2) by amending clause (i) to read as follows: 
‘‘(i) be made available for inspection 
and audit by the Secretary, subject to data 
and security protocols agreed to by the 
State agency and Secretary;’’. 
(b) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Section 16 of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025) is 
amended—
304 
(1) in the last sentence of subsection (c)(4) by 
inserting ‘‘including providing access to applicable 
State records and the entire information systems in 
which the records are contained,’’ after ‘‘Secretary,’’, 
and 
(2) in subsection (g)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (E) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end, 
(B) in subparagraph (F) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) would be accessible by the Secretary 
for the purposes of program oversight and 
would be used by the State agency to make 
available all records required by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
SEC. 4024. TRANSITIONAL BENEFITS. 
Section 11(s) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2020(s)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting 
‘‘TRANSITIONAL BENEFITS’’, 
(2) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’, and
305 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘at 
the option of the State,’’, and 
(3) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’, and 
(B) by striking ‘‘not more than’’. 
SEC. 4025. INCENTIVIZING TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION. 
Section 11(t) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2020(t)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting 
‘‘GRANTS FOR SIMPLIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRI-
TION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATION AND ELI-
GIBILITY DETERMINATION SYSTEMS’’, 
(2) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘implement— 
’’ and all that follows through the period at the end, 
and inserting ‘‘implement simplified supplemental 
nutrition assistance program application and eligi-
bility determination systems.’’, and 
(3) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(B) establishing enhanced technological 
methods for applying for benefits and deter-
mining eligibility that improve the administra-
306 
tive infrastructure used in processing applica-
tions and determining eligibility; or’’, 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (C) and 
(D), and 
(C) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as 
subparagraph (C). 
SEC. 4026. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAM 
BENEFIT 
TRANSFER 
TRANSACTION 
DATA REPORT. 
Section 9 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2018) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end, 
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) parameters for retail food store coopera-
tion with the Secretary sufficient to carry out sub-
section (i).’’. 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(i) DATA COLLECTION FOR RETAIL FOOD STORE 
TRANSACTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) COLLECTION OF DATA.—To assist in mak-
ing improvements to supplemental nutrition assist-
307 
ance program design, for each interval not greater 
than a 2-year period, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) collect a statistically significant sam-
ple of retail food store transaction data, includ-
ing the cost and description of items purchased 
with supplemental nutrition assistance program 
benefits, to the extent practicable and without 
affecting retail food store document retention 
practices; and 
‘‘(B) make a summarized report of aggre-
gated data collected under subparagraph (A) 
available to the public in a manner that pre-
vents identification of individual retail food 
stores, individual retail food store chains, and 
individual members of households that use such 
benefits. 
‘‘(2) NONDISCLOSURE.—Any transaction data 
that contains information specific to a retail food 
store, a retail food store location, a person, or other 
entity shall be exempt from the disclosure require-
ments of Section 552(a) of title 5 of the United 
States Code pursuant to section 552(b)(3)(B) of 
title 5 of the United States Code. The Secretary 
shall limit the use or disclosure of information ob-
308 
tained under this subsection in a manner consistent 
with sections 9(c) and 11(e)(8).’’. 
SEC. 4027. ADJUSTMENT TO PERCENTAGE OF RECOVERED 
FUNDS RETAINED BY STATES. 
Section 16(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2025(a) is amended— 
(1) in the 1st sentence by striking ‘‘35 percent’’ 
and inserting ‘‘50 percent’’, and 
(2) by inserting after the 1st sentence the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘A State agency may use such funds retained only to 
carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program, 
including investments in technology, improvements in ad-
ministration and distribution, and actions to prevent 
fraud.’’. 
SEC. 4028. TOLERANCE LEVEL FOR PAYMENT ERRORS. 
Section 16(c)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(c)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii)— 
(A) in subclause (I) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end, 
(B) in subclause (II)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘fiscal year thereafter’’ 
and inserting ‘‘of the fiscal years 2015 
through 2017’’, and
309 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(III) for each fiscal year there-
after, $0.’’, and 
(2) in subparagraph (C) by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2004’’ and all that follows through ‘‘second’’, and 
inserting ‘‘any of the fiscal years 2004 through 2018 
for which the Secretary determines that for the sec-
ond or subsequent consecutive fiscal year, and with 
respect to fiscal year 2019 and any fiscal year there-
after for which the Secretary determines that for the 
third’’. 
SEC. 4029. STATE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS. 
Section 16(d) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2025(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the heading and inserting 
‘‘STATE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS’’, 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the heading by striking ‘‘AND 
THEREAFTER’’ and inserting ‘‘THROUGH 2017’’, 
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘and 
each fiscal year thereafter’’ and inserting 
‘‘through fiscal year 2017’’, and
310 
(C) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘and 
each fiscal year thereafter’’ and inserting 
‘‘through fiscal year 2017’’, and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) FISCAL
YEAR
2018
AND
FISCAL
YEARS 
THEREAFTER.—With respect to fiscal year 2018 and 
each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall estab-
lish, by regulation, performance criteria relating 
to— 
‘‘(A) actions taken to correct errors, re-
duce rates of error, and improve eligibility de-
terminations; and 
‘‘(B) other indicators of effective adminis-
tration determined by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 4030. PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. 
Section 17 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2026) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(m) PILOT PROJECTS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF 
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS COMMITTED
TO AD-
DRESSING FOOD INSECURITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may, on ap-
plication, permit not more than 10 eligible entities 
to carry out pilot projects to support public-private
311 
partnerships that address food insecurity and pov-
erty. 
‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this sub-
section, an ‘eligible entity’ means— 
‘‘(A) a State; 
‘‘(B) a unit of local government; 
‘‘(C) a nonprofit organization; 
‘‘(D) a community-based organization; and 
‘‘(E) an institution of higher education. 
‘‘(3) PROJECT
REQUIREMENTS.—Projects ap-
proved under this subsection shall be limited to 2 
years in length and evaluate the impact of the ability 
of eligible entities to— 
‘‘(A) improve the effectiveness and impact 
of the supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram; 
‘‘(B) develop food security solutions that 
are contextualized to the needs of a community 
or region; and 
‘‘(C) strengthen the capacity of commu-
nities to address food insecurity and poverty. 
‘‘(4) REPORTING.—Participating entities shall 
report annually to the Secretary who shall submit a 
final report to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Ag-
312 
riculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. 
Such report shall include— 
‘‘(A) a summary of the activities conducted 
under the pilot projects; 
‘‘(B) an assessment of the effectiveness of 
the pilot projects; and 
‘‘(C) best practices regarding the use of 
public-private partnerships to improve the effec-
tiveness of public benefit programs to address 
food insecurity and poverty. 
‘‘(5) AUTHORIZATION
AND
ADVANCE
AVAIL-
ABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this subsection $5,000,000 to re-
main available until expended. 
‘‘(B) APPROPRIATION IN ADVANCE.—Only 
funds appropriated under subparagraph (A) in 
advance specifically to carry out this subsection 
shall be available to carry out this subsection.’’. 
SEC. 4031. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
The 1st sentence of section 18(a)(1) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2027(a)(1)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’.
313 
SEC. 4032. EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE. 
Section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2036(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2023’’, 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C) by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’, 
(B) in subparagraph (D)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘2018’’ the 1st place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘2019’’, 
(ii) in clause (iii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end, and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(v) 
for 
fiscal 
year 
2019, 
$60,000,000; and’’, and 
(C) in subparagraph (E)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘2019’’ and inserting 
‘‘2020’’, 
(ii) by striking ‘‘(D)(iv)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(D)(v)’’, and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘2017’’ and inserting 
‘‘2018’’, and 
(3) by adding at the end the following:
314 
‘‘(4) 
FARM-TO-FOOD-BANK
FUND.—From 
amounts made available under subparagraphs (D) 
and (E) of paragraph (2), the Secretary shall dis-
tribute $20,000,000 in accordance with section 214 
of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 
U.S.C. 7515) that States shall use to procure or 
enter into agreements with a food bank to procure 
excess fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the 
State, or surrounding regions in the United States, 
to be provided to eligible recipient agencies as de-
fined in section 201A(3) of the Emergency Food As-
sistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501(3)).’’. 
SEC. 4033. NUTRITION EDUCATION. 
(a) NUTRITION EDUCATION AND OBESITY PREVEN-
TION GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 28 of the Food and Nu-
trition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036a) is amended— 
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘eligible 
individual’ means an individual who is eligible to re-
ceive benefits under a nutrition education and obe-
sity prevention program under this section as a re-
sult of being—
315 
‘‘(A) an individual eligible for benefits 
under— 
‘‘(i) this Act; 
‘‘(ii) sections 9(b)(1)(A) and 17(c)(4) 
of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(1)(A), 
1766(c)(4)); or 
‘‘(iii) section 4(e)(1)(A) of the Child 
Nutrition 
Act 
of 
1966 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1773(e)(1)(A)); 
‘‘(B) an individual who resides in a com-
munity with a significant low-income popu-
lation, as determined by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(C) such other low-income individual as is 
determined to be eligible by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘eligi-
ble institution’ includes any ‘1862 Institution’ or 
‘1890 Institution’, as defined in section 2 of the Re-
search, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 
1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601).’’, 
(2) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘Consistent 
with the terms and conditions of grants awarded 
under this section, State agencies may’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in
316 
consultation with the Administrator of the Food and 
Nutrition Service, shall’’, 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with the terms 
and conditions of grants awarded under this section, 
eligible institutions shall deliver nutrition education 
and obesity prevention services under a program de-
scribed in subsection (b) that— 
‘‘(A) to the extent practicable, provide for 
the employment and training of professional 
and paraprofessional aides from the target pop-
ulation to engage in direct nutrition education; 
and 
‘‘(B) partner with other public and private 
entities as appropriate to optimize program de-
livery.’’, 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A State agency, in 
consultation with eligible institutions that pro-
vide nutrition education and obesity prevention 
services under this subsection, shall submit to
317 
the Secretary for approval a nutrition education 
State plan.’’, 
(ii) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘Except as provided in subparagraph (C), 
a’’ and inserting ‘‘A’’, and 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (C), 
(C) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘A State agency’’ 
and inserting ‘‘An eligible institu-
tion’’, and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘the Director of 
the National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture and’’ after ‘‘by’’, and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B) by inserting 
‘‘the Director of the National Institute of 
Food and Agriculture and’’ after ‘‘edu-
cation,’’, and 
(D) in paragraph (4) by inserting ‘‘and eli-
gible institutions’’ after ‘‘agencies’’, and 
(E) in paragraph (5) by striking ‘‘State 
agency’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible institutions’’, 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)—
318 
(i) in the heading by striking ‘‘IN 
GENERAL’’ and inserting ‘‘BASIC
FUND-
ING’’, 
(ii) by striking ‘‘to State agencies’’, 
(iii) in subparagraph (E) by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end, 
(iv) in subparagraph (F)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘year 2016 and 
each subsequent fiscal year’’ and in-
serting ‘‘years 2016 through 2018’’, 
and 
(II) by striking the period at the 
end and inserting a semicolon, and 
(v) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(G) for fiscal year 2019, $485,000,000; 
and 
‘‘(H) for fiscal year 2020 and each subse-
quent fiscal year, the applicable amount during 
the preceding fiscal year, as adjusted to reflect 
any increases for the 12-month period ending 
the preceding June 30 in the Consumer Price 
Index for All Urban Consumers published by 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Depart-
ment of Labor.’’, 
(B) in paragraph (2)—
319 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘and appropriated 
under the authority of paragraph (2)’’ 
after ‘‘paragraph (1)’’, and 
(II) in clause (ii)— 
(aa) by inserting ‘‘(as that sec-
tion existed on the day before the date 
of the enactment of the Agriculture 
and Nutrition Act of 2018)’’ after 
‘‘(B)’’ and 
(bb) in subclause (V) by striking 
‘‘and each fiscal year thereafter’’, and 
(ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) REALLOCATION.—If the Secretary de-
termines that an eligible institution will not ex-
pend all of the funds allocated to the eligible in-
stitution for a fiscal year under paragraph (1) 
or in the case of an eligible institution that 
elects not to receive the entire amount of funds 
allocated to the eligible institution for a fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall reallocate the unex-
pended funds to other eligible institutions dur-
ing the fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year 
(as determined by the Secretary) that have ap-
320 
proved State plans under which the eligible in-
stitutions may expend the reallocated funds.’’, 
and 
(iii) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following: 
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT ALLOCATION.—Of the 
funds set aside under paragraph (1) and appro-
priated under the authority of paragraph (2) 
for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year there-
after, 100 percent shall be allocated to eligible 
institutions pro rata based on the respective 
share of each State of the number of individuals 
participating in the supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program during the 12-month period 
ending the preceding January 31, as deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’, 
(C) in paragraph (3)(B) by inserting ‘‘, other 
than those incurred by State agencies in preparing 
State plans pursuant to subsection (c)(2) and noti-
fying applicants, participants, and eligible individ-
uals pursuant to subsection (c)(4),’’ after ‘‘this sec-
tion’’, 
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 
(3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively,
321 
(E) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following: 
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION
AND
ADVANCE
AVAIL-
ABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIA-
TIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated 
to carry out this section $65,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2019 through 2023. 
‘‘(B) APPROPRIATION
IN
ADVANCE.—Ex-
cept as provided in subparagraph (C), only 
funds appropriated under subparagraph (A) in 
advance specifically to carry out this section 
shall be available to carry out this section. 
‘‘(C) OTHER FUNDS.—Funds appropriated 
under this paragraph shall be in addition to 
funds made available under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(D) FUNDS
AVAILABILITY.—Funds ap-
propriated under this paragraph shall remain 
available for obligation for a period of 2 fiscal 
years.’’, and 
(F) by inserting after paragraph (4), as so 
redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(5) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—Not more than 
10 percent of the funds allocated to eligible institu-
322 
tions may be used by the eligible institutions for ad-
ministrative costs.’’, and 
(5) in subsection (e) by striking ‘‘January 1, 
2012’’ and inserting ‘‘18 months after the date of 
the enactment of the Agriculture and Nutrition Act 
of 2018’’. 
(b) RELATED AMENDMENT.—Section 18(a)(3)(A)(ii) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2027(a)(3)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking ‘‘, such as the 
expanded food and nutrition education program’’. 
SEC. 4034. RETAIL FOOD STORE AND RECIPIENT TRAF-
FICKING. 
Section 29(c)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036b(c)(1)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 4035. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. 
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 3— 
(A) in subsections (d) and (i) by striking 
‘‘7(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘7(h)’’, and 
(B) in subsection (o)(1)(A) by striking 
‘‘(r)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘(q)(1)’’, 
(2) in section 5(a) by striking ‘‘and section’’ 
each place it appears and all that follows through
323 
‘‘households’’ the respective next place it appears, 
and inserting ‘‘and section 3(m)(4), households’’, 
(3) in subsections (e)(1) and (f)(1)(A)(i) of sec-
tion 
by 
striking 
‘‘3(n)(5)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘3(m)(5)’’, 
(4) in the 1st sentence of section 10— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or the Federal Savings 
and Loan Insurance Corporation’’ each place it 
appears, and 
(B) by striking ‘‘3(p)(4)’’ and inserting 
‘‘3(o)(4)’’, 
(5) in section 11— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2) by striking 
‘‘3(t)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘3(s)(1)’’, and 
(B) in subsection (d)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘3(t)(1)’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘3(s)(1)’’, and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘3(t)(2)’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘3(s)(2)’’, 
(C) in subsection (e)— 
(i) in paragraph (17) by striking 
‘‘3(t)(1)’’ inserting ‘‘3(s)(1)’’, and 
(ii) in paragraph (23) by striking 
‘‘Simplified Supplemental Nutrition Assist-
ance Program’’ and inserting ‘‘simplified
324 
supplemental 
nutrition 
assistance 
pro-
gram’’, 
(6) in section 15(e) by striking ‘‘exchange’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘anything’’, and inserting 
‘‘exchange for benefits, or anything’’, 
(7) in section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(aa) by strik-
ing ‘‘3(n)’’ and inserting ‘‘3(m)’’, 
(8) in section 25(a)(1)(B)(i)(I) by striking the 
2d semicolon at the end, and 
(9) in section 26(b) by striking ‘‘out’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘(referred’’, and inserting ‘‘out 
a simplified supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram (referred’’. 
SEC. 4036. IMPLEMENTATION FUNDS. 
Out of any funds made available under section 18(a) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2027(a)) 
for fiscal year 2019, the Secretary shall use to carry out 
the amendments made by this subtitle $150,000,000, to 
remain available until expended. 
SEC. 
4037. 
MULTIVITAMIN-MINERAL 
DIETARY 
SUPPLE-
MENTS ELIGIBLE FOR PURCHASE WITH SUP-
PLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE BENE-
FITS. 
Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2012) is amended—
325 
(1) in subsection (k) by— 
(A) striking ‘‘and (9)’’ and inserting ‘‘(9)’’, 
and 
(B) inserting before the period at the end 
the following: ‘‘, and (10) a multivitamin-min-
eral dietary supplement for home consump-
tion’’, 
(2) by inserting after subsection (m) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(m–1) ‘Multivitamin-mineral dietary supplement’ 
means a substance that— 
‘‘(1) provides at least half of the vitamins and 
minerals for which the National Academy of Medi-
cine establishes dietary reference intakes, at 50 per-
cent or more of the daily value for the intended life 
stage per daily serving as determined by the Food 
and Drug Administration; and 
‘‘(2) does not exceed the tolerable upper intake 
levels for those nutrients for which an established 
tolerable upper intake level is determined by the Na-
tional Academy of Medicine.’’, and 
(3) in subsection (q)(2) by striking ‘‘and 
spices’’ and inserting ‘‘spices, and multivitamin-min-
eral dietary supplements’’.
326 
SEC. 4038. REVIEW OF SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM OPERATIONS. 
Section 9 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2018), as amended by section 4026, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) REVIEW OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary— 
‘‘(A) shall review a representative sample 
of currently authorized retail food stores as de-
fined in subsections (o)(2) and (k)(3) of section 
3 to determine whether benefits are properly 
used by or on behalf of participating households 
residing in such facilities and whether such fa-
cilities are using more than one source of Fed-
eral or State funding to meet the food needs of 
residents; 
‘‘(B) may carry out similar reviews for cur-
rently participating residential drug and alcohol 
treatment and rehabilitation programs, and 
group living arrangements for the blind and 
disabled; 
‘‘(C) shall gather information and these 
entities shall be required to submit information 
deemed necessary for a full and thorough re-
view; and
327 
‘‘(D) shall report the results of these re-
views to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry of the 
Senate not later than 3 years after the date of 
the enactment of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2018, along with recommendations as to any 
additional requirements or oversight that would 
be appropriate for such facilities and retailers, 
and whether these entities should continue to be 
authorized to participate in the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program. 
‘‘(2) Nothing in this section shall authorize the 
Secretary to deny any application for continued au-
thorization, any application for authorization, or any 
request to withdraw the authorization of any facility 
or entity referenced in subsections (o)(2) and (k)(3) 
of section 3 based on a determination that residents 
of any such facility or entity are residents of an in-
stitution prior to— 
‘‘(A) the submission of the report de-
scribed in paragraph (1)(D); or 
‘‘(B) 3 years after the date of enactment 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2018; 
whichever is earlier.’’.
328 
SEC. 4039. DISQUALIFICATION OF CERTAIN CONVICTED 
FELONS. 
Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 2015), as amended by section 4015, is amended 
in subsection (p)(1)— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘: and’’ at 
the end and inserting a period, and 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B). 
SEC. 4040. DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF BLOCK GRANT 
PAYABLE TO PUERTO RICO. 
(a) STUDY.—With funds appropriated to carry out 
this subsection, the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct 
a study to determine the feasibility and impact of using 
a thrifty food plan developed exclusively to apply under 
section 19(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2)(A)) to calculate the amount 
of the block grant payable to Puerto Rico. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out subsection (a). 
(c) APPROPRIATION IN ADVANCE.—Only funds ap-
propriated under subsection (b) in advance specifically to 
carry out subsection (a) shall be available to carry out 
such subsection.
329 
SEC. 4041. SERVICE OF TRADITIONAL FOODS IN PUBLIC FA-
CILITIES. 
Section 4033 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (128 
STAT. 818) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c) — 
(A) by inserting ‘‘, a State, a country 
equivalent, or a local education agency,’’ after 
‘‘programs’’ the 1st place it appears, 
(B) by striking ‘‘ and facilities operated by 
tribal organizations, that primarily serve Indi-
ans’’ and inserting ‘‘and federally funded child 
nutrition and senior meal programs,’’, and 
(2) in subsection (d)(1) — 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ the 1st place it ap-
pears, and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, a State, a county or 
county equivalent, a local educational agency, 
and an entity or person authorized to facilitate 
the donation, storage, preparation, or serving of 
traditional food by the operator of a food serv-
ice program’’ after ‘‘organization’’.
330 
SEC. 4042. EXTENSION OF STUDY ON COMPARABLE ACCESS 
TO SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE 
FOR PUERTO RICO. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 4142 of the Food, Con-
servation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 
122 STAT. 1881) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘this Act’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018’’, 
and 
(2) in subsection (d)(1) by striking ‘‘2008’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out section 4142 of the Food, Conserva-
tion, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 
STAT. 1881) as amended by subsection (a). 
(c) APPROPRIATION IN ADVANCE.—Only funds ap-
propriated under subsection (b) in advance specifically to 
carry out section 4142 of the Food, Conservation, and En-
ergy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 STAT. 1881) 
as amended by subsection (a) shall be available to carry 
out such section as so amended. 
SEC. 4043. ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY FOR STATES. 
Section 11(e)(6)(B) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(6)(B)) is amended to read as 
follows:
331 
‘‘(B) personnel of the State agency or, at 
the option of the State agency and by contract 
with the State agency, personnel of an entity 
that has no direct or indirect financial interest 
in an approved retail food store, may undertake 
such certification or carry out any other func-
tion of the State agency under the supplemental 
nutrition assistance program and without re-
striction by the Secretary on the State agency’s 
use of nongovernmental employees to perform 
program eligibility or any other administrative 
function to carry out such program;’’. 
Subtitle B—Commodity 
Distribution Programs 
SEC. 4101. COMMODITY DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM. 
The 1st sentence of section 4(a) of the Agriculture 
and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c 
note) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 4102. COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM. 
Section 5 of the Agriculture and Consumer Protec-
tion Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’, and
332 
(B) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’, and 
(2) in subsection (d)(2) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 4103. ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL 
FOOD PROGRAM. 
Section 5(g) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protec-
tion Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Except’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except’’, and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) CERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF CERTIFICATION PE-
RIOD.—In this paragraph, the term ‘certifi-
cation period’ means the period that a partici-
pant in the commodity supplemental food pro-
gram may continue to receive benefits under 
that program without a formal review of the eli-
gibility of the participant. 
‘‘(B) MINIMUM CERTIFICATION PERIOD.— 
Subject to subparagraph (C), a State shall es-
tablish a certification period of not less than 1 
year.
333 
‘‘(C) EXTENSIONS.—On the request of a 
State, the Secretary shall approve a State cer-
tification period of more than 1 year on the 
condition that, on an annual basis, the local 
agency in the State administering the com-
modity supplemental food program— 
‘‘(i) verifies the address and continued 
interest of each participant in receiving 
program benefits; and 
‘‘(ii) has sufficient reason to deter-
mine that the participant still meets the 
income eligibility standards, which may in-
clude a determination that the participant 
has a fixed income.’’. 
SEC. 4104. DISTRIBUTION OF SURPLUS COMMODITIES TO 
SPECIAL NUTRITION PROJECTS. 
Section 1114(a)(2)(A) of the Agriculture and Food 
Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 1431e(a)(2)(A)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’.
334 
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 4201. PURCHASE OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 
FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SCHOOLS AND SERV-
ICE INSTITUTIONS. 
Section 10603(b) of the Farm Security and Rural In-
vestment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 612c-4(b)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 4202. SENIORS FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 4402(a) of the Farm Security and Rural In-
vestment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 4203. HEALTHY FOOD FINANCING INITIATIVE. 
Section 243(d) of the Department of Agriculture Re-
organization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6953) is amended by 
striking ‘‘until expended’’ and inserting ‘‘until October 1, 
2023’’. 
SEC. 4204. AMENDMENTS TO THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE 
PROGRAM. 
Section 19 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769a) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘FRESH’’ ; 
(2) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘, canned, 
dried, frozen, or pureed’’ after ‘‘fresh’’;
335 
(3) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘, canned, 
dried, frozen, or pureed’’ after ‘‘fresh’’; and 
(4) in subsection (e), by inserting ‘‘, canned, 
dried, frozen, or pureed’’ after ‘‘fresh’’. 
SEC. 4205. REVIEW AND REVISION OF CERTAIN NUTRITION 
REGULATIONS. 
(a) REVIEW OF EXISTING REGULATIONS.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and for the purposes described in subsection (b), the Sec-
retary shall review— 
(1) the final regulations on ‘‘National School 
Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nu-
trition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as 
Required by the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 
2010’’ published by the Department of Agriculture 
in the Federal Register on July 29, 2016 (81 Fed. 
Reg. 50123 et seq.); and 
(2) the final regulations on ‘‘Nutrition Stand-
ards in the National School Lunch and School 
Breakfast Programs’’ published by the Department 
of Agriculture in the Federal Register on January 
26, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 4088 et seq.). 
(b) FINALIZING NEW REGULATIONS.—Not later than 
1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary, in consultation with school nutrition personnel
336 
and school leaders (including school administrators, school 
boards, and parents), shall finalize new regulations that 
revise the regulations described in subsection (a) based on 
the review of such regulations under such subsection, in-
cluding any requirements for milk, to ensure that the re-
quirements of such regulations— 
(1) are based on research based on school-age 
children; 
(2) do not add costs in addition to the reim-
bursements required to carry out the school lunch 
program authorized under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) 
or the school breakfast program established by sec-
tion 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1773); and 
(3) maintain healthy meals for students. 
TITLE V—CREDIT 
Subtitle A—Farm Ownership Loans 
SEC. 5101. MODIFICATION OF THE 3-YEAR EXPERIENCE ELI-
GIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR FARM OWNER-
SHIP LOANS. 
Section 302(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1922(b)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following:
337 
‘‘(4) WAIVER
AUTHORITY.—In the case of a 
qualified beginning farmer or rancher, the Secretary 
may— 
‘‘(A) reduce the 3-year requirement in 
paragraph (1) to— 
‘‘(i) 2 years, if the farmer or rancher 
has— 
‘‘(I) 16 credit hours of post-sec-
ondary education in a field related to 
agriculture; 
‘‘(II) at least 1 year of direct 
substantive management experience in 
a business; 
‘‘(III) been honorably discharged 
from the armed forces of the United 
States; 
‘‘(IV) successfully repaid a youth 
loan made under section 311(b); or 
‘‘(V) an established relationship 
with an individual participating as a 
counselor in a Service Corps of Re-
tired Executives program authorized 
under section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small 
Business 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
637(b)(1)(B)), or with a local farm or
338 
ranch operator or organization, ap-
proved by the Secretary, that is com-
mitted to mentoring the farmer or 
rancher; or 
‘‘(ii) 1 year, if the farmer or rancher 
has military leadership or management ex-
perience from having completed an accept-
able military leadership course; or 
‘‘(B) waive the 3-year requirement in para-
graph (1) if the farmer or rancher— 
‘‘(i) meets a requirement of subpara-
graph (A)(i) (other than subclause (V) 
thereof) and meets the requirement of sub-
paragraph (A)(ii); and 
‘‘(ii) meets the requirement of sub-
paragraph (A)(i)(V).’’. 
SEC. 5102. CONSERVATION LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE 
PROGRAM. 
Section 304(h) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1924(h)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$150,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$75,000,000’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’.
339 
SEC. 5103. FARM OWNERSHIP LOAN LIMITS. 
Section 305(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1925(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$700,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,750,000’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2000’’ and inserting ‘‘2019’’. 
Subtitle B—Operating Loans 
SEC. 5201. LIMITATIONS ON AMOUNT OF OPERATING 
LOANS. 
Section 313(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1943(a)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘$700,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,750,000’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2000’’ and inserting ‘‘2019’’. 
SEC. 5202. MICROLOANS. 
Section 313(c)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1943(c)(2)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘title’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection’’. 
Subtitle C—Administrative 
Provisions 
SEC. 5301. BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER INDIVIDUAL 
DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTS PILOT PROGRAM. 
Section 333B(h) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1983b(h)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’.
340 
SEC. 5302. LOAN AUTHORIZATION LEVELS. 
Section 346(b)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1994(b)(1)) is amended 
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 5303. LOAN FUND SET-ASIDES. 
Section 346(b)(2)(A)(ii)(III) of the Consolidated 
Farm 
and 
Rural 
Development 
Act 
(7 
U.S.C. 
1994(b)(2)(A)(ii)(III)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
Subtitle D—Technical Corrections 
to the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act 
SEC. 5401. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO THE CONSOLI-
DATED FARM AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 
ACT. 
(a)(1) Section 310E(d)(3) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1935(d)(3)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘and socially disadvantaged farmers 
or ranchers’’ after ‘‘ranchers’’ the second place it appears. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of section 
5004(4)(A)(i) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act 
of 2008 (Public Law 110–246) in lieu of the amendment 
made by such section.
341 
(b)(1) Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1961(a)) is amended 
in the second sentence by striking ‘‘and limited liability 
companies’’ and inserting ‘‘limited liability companies, and 
such other legal entities’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of section 5201 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79) in 
lieu of the amendment made by such section. 
(c)(1) Section 331D(e) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1981d(e)) is amended 
by inserting after ‘‘within 60 days after receipt of the no-
tice required in this section’’ the following: ‘‘or, in extraor-
dinary circumstances as determined by the applicable 
State director, after the 60-day period’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of section 10 
of the Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of 1992 (Pub-
lic Law 102–554). 
(d)(1) Section 333A(f)(1)(A) of the Consolidated 
Farm 
and 
Rural 
Development 
Act 
(7 
U.S.C. 
1983a(f)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘114’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘339’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of section 14
342 
of the Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of 1992 (Pub-
lic Law 102–554). 
(e) Section 339(d)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.1989(d)(3)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘preferred certified lender’’ and inserting 
‘‘Preferred Certified Lender’’. 
(f)(1) Section 343(a)(11)(C) of the Consolidated 
Farm 
and 
Rural 
Development 
Act 
(7 
U.S.C. 
1991(a)(11)(C)) is amended by striking ‘‘or joint opera-
tors’’ and inserting ‘‘joint operator, or owners’’. 
(2) The amendment made by this subsection shall 
take effect as of the effective date of section 5303(a)(2) 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014. 
(g)(1) Section 343(b) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(b)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘307(e)’’ and inserting ‘‘307(d)’’. 
(2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall 
take effect as if included in the enactment of section 5004 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79). 
(h) Section 346(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.1994(a)) is amended by 
striking the last comma.
343 
Subtitle E—Amendments to the 
Farm Credit Act of 1971 
SEC. 5501. ELIMINATION OF OBSOLETE REFERENCES. 
(a) Section 1.2(a) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 
(12 U.S.C. 2002(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) COMPOSITION.—The Farm Credit System shall 
include the Farm Credit Banks, banks for cooperatives, 
Agricultural Credit Banks, the Federal land bank associa-
tions, the Federal land credit associations, the production 
credit associations, the Agricultural Credit Associations, 
the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, the 
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, service cor-
porations established pursuant to section 4.25 of this Act, 
and such other institutions as may be made a part of the 
System, all of which shall be chartered by and subject to 
regulation by the Farm Credit Administration.’’. 
(b) Section 2.4 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2075) is 
amended by striking subsection (d). 
(c) Section 3.0 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2121) is 
amended— 
(1) in the 3rd sentence, by striking ‘‘and a Cen-
tral Bank for Cooperatives’’; and 
(2) by striking the 5th sentence. 
(d) Section 3.2(a)(1) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2123(a)(1)) is amended—
344 
(1) by striking ‘‘not merged into the United 
Bank for Cooperatives or the National Bank for Co-
operatives’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Section 
7.12(c) shall apply to the board of directors of a 
merged bank for cooperatives.’’. 
(e) Section 3.2(a)(2)(A) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2123(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘(other than the 
National Bank for Cooperatives)’’. 
(f) Section 3.2 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2123) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (b); 
(2) in subsection (a)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘para-
graph’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘(a)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)’’; 
(4) by striking ‘‘(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘(b)(1)’’; 
(5) by striking ‘‘(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘(A)’’; 
(6) by striking ‘‘(ii)’’ and inserting ‘‘(B)’’; and 
(7) by striking ‘‘(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘(2)’’. 
(g) Section 3.5 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2126) is 
amended by striking ‘‘district’’. 
(h) Section 3.7(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2128(a)) 
is amended by striking the second sentence.
345 
(i) Section 3.8(b)(1)(A) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2129(b)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(or successor 
agency)’’ after ‘‘Rural Electrification Administration’’. 
(j) Section 3.9(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2130(a)) 
is amended by striking the 3rd sentence. 
(k) Section 3.10(c) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2131(c)) 
is amended by striking the second sentence. 
(l) Section 3.10(d) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2131(d)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘district’’ each place it appears; 
and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘for cooperatives or successor 
bank’’ before ‘‘on account of such indebtedness’’. 
(m) Section 3.11 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2132) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsections 
(b) and (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘district’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Except as provided in 
subsection (c) below, all’’ and inserting ‘‘All’’; 
and 
(3) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (c) 
through (e), respectively.
346 
(n) The heading for part B of title III of such Act 
is amended by striking ‘‘UNITED AND’’. 
(o) Section 3.20(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2141(a)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘or the United Bank for Coopera-
tives, as the case may be’’. 
(p) Section 3.20(b) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2141(b)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘the district banks for cooperatives 
and the Central Bank for Cooperatives’’ and inserting ‘‘all 
constituent banks referred to in section 413 of the Agricul-
tural Credit Act of 1987’’. 
(q) Section 3.21 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2142) is re-
pealed. 
(r) Section 3.28 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2149) is 
amended by striking ‘‘a district bank for cooperatives and 
the Central Bank for Cooperatives’’ and inserting ‘‘its con-
stituent banks referred to in section 413 of the Agricul-
tural Credit Act of 1987’’. 
(s) Section 3.29 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2150) is re-
pealed. 
(t)(1) Section 4.0 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2151) is 
repealed. 
(2) Section 5.60(b) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2277a- 
9(b)) is amended to read as follows:
347 
‘‘(b) AMOUNTS IN FUND.—The Corporation shall de-
posit in the Insurance Fund all premium payments re-
ceived by the Corporation under this part.’’. 
(u)(1) Section 4.8 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2159) is 
amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(a)’’; and 
(B) by striking subsection (b). 
(2) Section 1.1(c) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2001(c)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘including any costs of defeasance 
under section 4.8(b),’’. 
(v) Section 4.9(d)(2) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2160(d)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) REPRESENTATION ON BOARD.—The Farm 
Credit System Insurance Corporation shall have no 
representation on the board of directors of the Cor-
poration.’’. 
(w) Section 4.9 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2160) is 
amended by striking subsection (e) and redesignating sub-
section (f) as subsection (e). 
(x) Section 4.9A(c) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2162(c)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) INABILITY TO RETIRE STOCK AT PAR VALUE.— 
If an institution is unable to retire eligible borrower stock 
at par value due to the liquidation of the institution, the 
Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation, acting as re-
348 
ceiver, shall retire such stock at par value as would have 
been retired in the ordinary course of business of the insti-
tution. The Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation 
shall make use of sufficient funds from the Farm Credit 
Insurance Fund to carry out this section.’’. 
(y) Section 4.12A(a)(1) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2184(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Every Farm Credit System 
bank or association shall provide a current list of its 
stockholders, within 7 calendar days after receipt of 
a written request by a stockholder, to the requesting 
stockholder.’’. 
(z) Section 4.14A(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2202a(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and section 4.36’’ 
after ‘‘As used in this part’’. 
(aa)(1) Section 4.14A of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2202a) 
is amended— 
(A) in subsection (l), by striking ‘‘production 
credit’’; and 
(B) by striking subsection (h) and redesig-
nating subsections (i) through (l) as subsections (h) 
through (k), respectively. 
(2)(A) Section 5.31 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2267) is 
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘4.14A(i)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘4.14A(h)’’.
349 
(B) Section 5.32(h) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2268(h)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘4.14A(i)’’ and inserting 
‘‘4.14A(h)’’. 
(bb)(1) Section 4.14C of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2202c) 
is repealed. 
(2)(A) Section 4.14A(a)(5)(B)(ii)(I) of such Act (12 
U.S.C. 2202a(a)(5)(B)(ii)(I)) is amended by striking 
‘‘4.14C,’’. 
(B) Section 8.9 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa–9) 
is amended by striking ‘‘4.14C,’’ each place it appears. 
(cc) Section 4.17 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2205) is 
amended by striking ‘‘Federal intermediate credit banks 
and’’. 
(dd) Section 4.19(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2207(a)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘district’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Federal land bank association 
and production credit’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘units’’ and inserting ‘‘institu-
tions’’. 
(ee) Section 4.38 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2219c) is 
amended by striking ‘‘The Assistance Board established 
under section 6.0 and all’’ and inserting ‘‘All’’.
350 
(ff) Section 5.17(a)(2) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2252(a)(2)) is amended by striking the second and 3rd 
sentences. 
(gg) Section 5.18 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2253) is 
repealed. 
(hh) Section 5.19(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2254(a)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Except for Federal land bank 
associations, each’’ and inserting ‘‘Each’’; and 
(2) by striking the second sentence. 
(ii) Section 5.19(b) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2254(b)) 
is amended— 
(1) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘except with respect to any actions taken by 
any banks of the System under section 4.8(b),’’; 
(2) by striking the third sentence of paragraph 
(1); 
(3) by striking ‘‘(b)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘(b)’’; 
and 
(4) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3). 
(jj) Section 5.35(4) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2271(4)) 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (C)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘after December 31, 
1992,’’; and
351 
(B) by striking ‘‘by the Farm Credit Sys-
tem Assistance Board under section 6.6 or’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesig-
nating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B). 
(kk) Section 5.38 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2274) is 
amended by striking ‘‘a farm credit district board, bank 
board, or bank officer or employee shall not remove any 
director or officer of any production credit association or 
Federal land bank association’’ and inserting ‘‘a Farm 
Credit Bank board, officer, or employee shall not remove 
any director or officer of any association’’. 
(ll) Section 5.44 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2275) is re-
pealed. 
(mm) Section 5.58(2) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2277a– 
7) is amended by striking the second sentence. 
(nn) Subtitle A of title VI of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2278a-2278a–11) is repealed. 
(oo) Title VI of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2278a-2278b– 
11) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 6.32. TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY. 
‘‘The authority provided in this subtitle shall termi-
nate on December 31, 2018.’’. 
(pp) Section 7.9 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279c–2) 
is amended by striking subsection (c).
352 
(qq) Section 7.10(a)(4) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2279d(a)(4)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) the institution pays to the Farm Credit In-
surance Fund the amount by which the total capital 
of the institution exceeds 6 percent of the assets;’’. 
(rr) Section 8.0(2) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2279aa(2)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) BOARD.—The term ‘Board’ means the 
board of directors established under section 8.2.’’. 
(ss)(1) Section 8.0 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa) 
is amended by striking paragraphs (6) and (8), and redes-
ignating paragraphs (7), (9), and (10) as paragraphs (6) 
through (8), respectively. 
(2)(A) Section 4.39 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2219d) 
is amended by striking ‘‘8.0(7)’’ and inserting ‘‘8.0(6)’’. 
(B) Section 8.6(e)(2) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa– 
6(e)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘8.0(9)’’ and inserting 
‘‘8.0(7)’’. 
(C) Section 8.11(e) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa– 
11(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘8.0(7)’’ and inserting 
‘‘8.0(6)’’. 
(D) Section 8.32(a)(1)(B) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2279bb–1(a)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘8.0(9)(C)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘8.0(7)(C)’’.
353 
(tt)(1) Section 8.2 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa- 
2) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘PERMANENT BOARD’’ and inserting ‘‘BOARD 
OF DIRECTORS’’; 
(ii) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Corporation shall 
be under the management of the Board of Direc-
tors.’’; 
(iii) by striking paragraph (3) and redesig-
nating paragraphs (4) through (10) as para-
graphs (3) through (9), respectively; and 
(iv) by striking ‘‘permanent’’ each place it 
appears in paragraphs (2), and (3) through (9) 
(as so redesignated); and 
(B) by striking subsection (a) and redesignating 
subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (a) and (b), 
respectively. 
(2) Section 8.4(a)(1) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa– 
4) is amended— 
(A) by striking the 3rd sentence; 
(B) by inserting after the 1st sentence the fol-
lowing: ‘‘Voting common stock shall be offered to
354 
banks, other financial entities, insurance companies, 
and System institutions under such terms and condi-
tions as the Board may adopt. The voting stock 
shall be fairly and broadly offered to ensure that no 
institution or institutions acquire a disproportionate 
amount of the total amount of voting common stock 
outstanding of a class and that capital contributions 
and issuances of voting common stock for the con-
tributions are fairly distributed between entities eli-
gible to hold Class A and Class B stock, as provided 
under this paragraph.’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘8.2(b)(2)(A)’’ and inserting 
‘‘8.2(a)(2)(A)’’; and 
(D) by striking ‘‘8.2(b)(2)(B)’’ and inserting 
‘‘8.2(a)(2)(B)’’. 
(uu)(1) Section 8.6 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279aa– 
6) is amended by striking subsection (d) and redesignating 
subsection (e) as subsection (d). 
(2)(A) Paragraph (7)(B)(i) of section 8.0 of such Act 
(12 U.S.C. 2279aa), as redesignated by subsection (ss)(1), 
is amended by striking ‘‘through (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘and 
(c)’’. 
(B) Section 8.33(b)(2)(A) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 
2279bb–2(b)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘8.6(e)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘8.6(d)’’.
355 
(vv) Section 8.32(a) of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279bb– 
1(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘Not sooner than the expira-
tion of the 3-year period beginning on the date of enact-
ment of the Farm Credit System Reform Act of 1996, 
the’’ and inserting ‘‘The’’. 
(ww) Section 8.35 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279bb– 
4) is amended by striking subsection (e). 
(xx) Section 8.38 of such Act (12 U.S.C. 2279bb– 
7) is repealed. 
SEC. 5502. CONFORMING REPEALS. 
(a) Sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, and 15 of the Agricul-
tural Marketing Act (12 U.S.C. 1141b, 1141c, 1141d, 
1141e, 1141f, 1141i, and 1141j) are repealed. 
(b) The Act of June 22, 1939, (Chapter 239; 53 Stat. 
853; 12 U.S.C. 1141d–1) is repealed. 
(c) Section 201 of the Emergency Relief and Con-
struction Act of 1932 (12 U.S.C. 1148) is repealed. 
(d) Section 2 of the Act of July 14, 1953, (Chapter 
192; 67 Stat. 150; 12 U.S.C. 1148a–4) is repealed. 
(e) Sections 32 through 34 of the Farm Credit Act 
of 1937 (12 U.S.C. 1148b, 1148c, and 1148d) are re-
pealed. 
(f) Sections 1 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1932, 
(12 U.S.C. 1401 through 1404) are repealed.
356 
SEC. 5503. FACILITY HEADQUARTERS. 
Section 5.16 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2251) is amended by striking all that precedes ‘‘to 
the rental of quarters’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 5.16. QUARTERS AND FACILITIES FOR THE FARM 
CREDIT ADMINISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) The Farm Credit Administration shall maintain 
its principal office within the Washington D.C.-Maryland- 
Virginia standard metropolitan statistical area, and such 
other offices within the United States as in its judgment 
are necessary. 
‘‘(b) As an alternate’’. 
SEC. 5504. SHARING PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL IN-
FORMATION. 
Section 5.19 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2254) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) A System institution shall not be considered to 
have waived the confidentiality of a privileged communica-
tion with an attorney or accountant if the institution pro-
vides the content of the communication to the Farm Cred-
it Administration pursuant to the supervisory or regu-
latory authorities of the Farm Credit Administration.’’.
357 
SEC. 5505. SCOPE OF JURISDICTION. 
Part C of title V of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 
(12 U.S.C. 2261–2274) is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 5.31 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 5.31A. SCOPE OF JURISDICTION. 
‘‘(a) For purposes of sections 5.25, 5.26, and 5.33, 
the jurisdiction of the Farm Credit Administration over 
parties, and the authority of the Farm Credit Administra-
tion to initiate actions, shall include enforcement authority 
over institution-affiliated parties. 
‘‘(b) The resignation, termination of employment or 
participation, or separation of an institution-affiliated 
party (including a separation caused by the merger, con-
solidation, conservatorship, or receivership of a System in-
stitution) shall not affect the jurisdiction and authority 
of the Farm Credit Administration to issue any notice or 
order and proceed under this part against any such party, 
if the notice or order is served before the end of the 6- 
year period beginning on the date the party ceased to be 
such a party with respect to the System institution 
(whether the date occurs before, on, or after the date of 
the enactment of this section).’’. 
SEC. 5506. DEFINITION. 
Section 5.35 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2271) is amended—
358 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); and 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (5) and inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) the term ‘institution-affiliated party’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) any director, officer, employee, share-
holder, or agent of a System institution; 
‘‘(B) any independent contractor (includ-
ing any attorney, appraiser, or accountant) who 
knowingly or recklessly participates in— 
‘‘(i) any violation of law (including 
regulations) that is associated with the op-
erations and activities of 1 or more institu-
tions; 
‘‘(ii) any breach of fiduciary duty; or 
‘‘(iii) any unsafe or unsound practice, 
which caused or is likely to cause more 
than a minimal financial loss to, or a sig-
nificant adverse effect on, a System insti-
tution; and 
‘‘(C) any other person, as determined by 
the Farm Credit Administration (by regulation 
or on a case-by-case basis) who participates in
359 
the conduct of the affairs of a System institu-
tion; and’’. 
SEC. 5507. EXPANSION OF ACREAGE EXCEPTION TO LOAN 
AMOUNT LIMITATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8.8(c)(2) of the Farm 
Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2279aa–8(c)(2)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘1,000’’ and inserting ‘‘2,000’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect 1 year after the date a re-
port submitted in accordance with section 5602 of this Act 
indicates that it is feasible to increase the acreage limita-
tion in section 8.8(c)(2) of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 
to 2,000 acres. 
SEC. 5508. COMPENSATION OF BANK DIRECTORS. 
Section 4.21 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2209) is repealed. 
SEC. 5509. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS. 
Section 5.65 of the Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 
U.S.C. 2277a–14) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(e) PROHIBITION ON USES OF FUNDS RELATED TO 
FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION.— 
No funds from administrative accounts or from the Farm 
Credit System Insurance Fund may be used by the Cor-
poration to provide assistance to the Federal Agricultural
360 
Mortgage Corporation or to support any activities related 
to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation.’’. 
Subtitle F—Miscellaneous 
SEC. 5601. STATE AGRICULTURAL MEDIATION PROGRAMS. 
Section 506 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 
(7 U.S.C. 5106) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’and insert-
ing ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 5602. STUDY ON LOAN RISK. 
(a) STUDY.—The Farm Credit Administration shall 
conduct a study that— 
(1) analyzes and compares the financial risks 
inherent in loans made, held, securitized, or pur-
chased by Farm Credit banks, associations, and the 
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation and how 
such risks are required to be capitalized under stat-
ute and regulations in effect as of the date of the 
enactment of this Act; and 
(2) assesses the feasibility of increasing the 
acreage exception provided in section 8.8(c)(2) of 
the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to 2,000 acres. 
(b) TIMELINE.—The Farm Credit Administration 
shall provide the results of the study required by sub-
section (a) to the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nu-
361 
trition, and Forestry of the Senate no later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5603. GAO REPORT ON ABILITY OF THE FARM CREDIT 
SYSTEM TO MEET THE AGRICULTURAL CRED-
IT NEEDS OF INDIAN TRIBES AND THEIR 
MEMBERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall— 
(1) study the agricultural credit needs of farms, 
ranches, and related agricultural businesses that are 
owned or operated by— 
(A) Indian tribes on tribal lands; or 
(B) enrolled members of Indian tribes on 
Indian allotments; and 
(2) determine whether the institutions of the 
Farm Credit System have sufficient authority and 
resources to meet the needs. 
(b) DEFINITION OF INDIAN TRIBE.—In subsection 
(a), the term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ means an Indian tribal entity 
that is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs by virtue of the status of the entity as 
an Indian tribe. 
(c) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—Within 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
troller General of the United States shall prepare and sub-
362 
mit to the Committees on Agriculture and on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives a written report 
that contains the findings of the study conducted under 
subsection (a). If the Comptroller General finds that the 
institutions of the Farm Credit System do not have suffi-
cient authority or resources to meet the needs referred to 
in subsection (a), the report shall include such legislative 
and other recommendations as the Comptroller General 
determines would result in a system under which the needs 
are met in an equitable and effective manner. 
TITLE VI—RURAL INFRASTRUC-
TURE AND ECONOMIC DEVEL-
OPMENT 
Subtitle A—Improving Health 
Outcomes in Rural Communities 
SEC. 6001. PRIORITIZING PROJECTS TO MEET HEALTH CRI-
SES IN RURAL AMERICA. 
(a) TEMPORARY PRIORITIZATION OF RURAL HEALTH 
ASSISTANCE.—Title VI of the Rural Development Act of 
1972 (7 U.S.C. 2204a–2204b) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 
608. 
TEMPORARY 
PRIORITIZATION 
OF 
RURAL 
HEALTH ASSISTANCE. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO PRIORITIZE CERTAIN RURAL 
HEALTH APPLICATIONS.—The Secretary, after consulta-
363 
tion with such public health officials as may be necessary, 
may announce a temporary reprioritization for certain 
rural development loan and grant applications to assist 
rural communities in responding to a specific health emer-
gency. 
‘‘(b) CONTENT
OF ANNOUNCEMENT.—In the an-
nouncement, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) specify the nature of the emergency affect-
ing the health of rural Americans; 
‘‘(2) describe the actual and potential effects of 
the emergency on the rural United States; 
‘‘(3) identify the services and treatments which 
can be used to reduce those effects; and 
‘‘(4) publish the specific temporary changes 
needed to assist rural communities in responding to 
the emergency. 
‘‘(c) NOTICE.—Not later than 48 hours after making 
or extending an announcement under this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, and trans-
mit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, a 
written notice of the declaration or extension. 
‘‘(d) EXTENSION.—The Secretary may extend an an-
nouncement under subsection (a) if the Secretary deter-
364 
mines that the emergency will continue after the declara-
tion would otherwise expire. 
‘‘(e) EXPIRATION.—An announcement under sub-
section (a) shall expire on the earlier of— 
‘‘(1) the date the Secretary determines that the 
emergency has ended; or 
‘‘(2) the end of the 360-day period beginning 
with the later of— 
‘‘(A) the date the announcement was 
made; or 
‘‘(B) the date the announcement was most 
recently extended.’’. 
(b) DISTANCE LEARNING
AND TELEMEDICINE.— 
Section 2333(c) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–2(c)) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) 
PROCEDURE
DURING
TEMPORARY 
REPRIORITIZATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—While a temporary 
reprioritization announced under section 608 of 
the Rural Development Act of 1972 is in effect, 
the Secretary shall make available not less than 
10 percent of the amounts made available 
under section 2335A for financial assistance 
under this chapter, for telemedicine services to
365 
identify and treat individuals affected by the 
emergency, subject to subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—In the case of a fiscal 
year for which the Secretary determines that 
there are not sufficient qualified applicants to 
receive financial assistance to reach the 10-per-
cent requirement under subparagraph (A), the 
Secretary may make available less than 10 per-
cent of the amounts made available under sec-
tion 2335A for those services.’’. 
(c) COMMUNITY FACILITIES DIRECT LOANS
AND 
GRANTS.—Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926(a)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(27) 
PROCEDURE
DURING
TEMPORARY 
REPRIORITIZATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) SELECTION PRIORITY.—While a tem-
porary reprioritization announced under section 
608 of the Rural Development Act of 1972 is 
in effect, in selecting recipients of loans, loan 
guarantees, or grants for the development of es-
sential community facilities under this section, 
the Secretary shall give priority to entities eligi-
ble for those loans or grants—
366 
‘‘(i) to develop facilities to provide 
services related to reducing the effects of 
the health emergency, including— 
‘‘(I) prevention services; 
‘‘(II) treatment services; 
‘‘(III) recovery services; or 
‘‘(IV) any combination of those 
services; and 
‘‘(ii) that employ staff that have ap-
propriate expertise and training in how to 
identify and treat individuals affected by 
the emergency. 
‘‘(B) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity 
described in subparagraph (A) that receives a 
loan or grant described in that subparagraph 
may use the loan or grant funds for the devel-
opment of telehealth facilities and systems to 
provide for treatment directly related to the 
emergency involved.’’. 
(d) RURAL HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION PRO-
GRAMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 502(i) of the Rural 
Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2662(i)) is 
amended—
367 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (6); and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the 
following: 
‘‘(5) 
PROCEDURE
DURING
TEMPORARY 
REPRIORITIZATIONS.—While 
a 
temporary 
reprioritization announced under section 608 of the 
Rural Development Act of 1972 is in effect, in mak-
ing grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
give priority to an applicant that will use the grant 
to address the announced emergency.’’. 
(2) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Title V of the 
Rural Development Act of 1972 (7 U.S.C. 2661 et 
seq.), as amended by paragraph (1) of this sub-
section, is amended— 
(A) in section 502, in the matter preceding 
subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘(referred to in this 
title as the ‘Secretary’)’’ after ‘‘Agriculture’’; 
and 
(B) by striking ‘‘Secretary of Agriculture’’ 
each place it appears (other than in section 502 
in the matter preceding subsection (a)) and in-
serting ‘‘Secretary’’.
368 
SEC. 6002. DISTANCE LEARNING AND TELEMEDICINE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
2335A of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade 
Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa–5) is amended by striking 
‘‘$75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$82,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 
through 2023’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1(b) of 
Public Law 102–551 (7 U.S.C. 950aaa note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 6003. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FARM AND RANCH 
STRESS ASSISTANCE NETWORK. 
Section 7522 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 5936) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘coordination 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
shall make competitive grants to support cooperative 
programs between State cooperative extension serv-
ices and nonprofit organizations’’ and inserting 
‘‘consultation with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, shall make competitive grants to 
State cooperative extension services and Indian 
Tribes to support programs with nonprofit organiza-
tions in order’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)—
369 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘Inter-
net’’ before ‘‘websites’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(2) training for individuals who may assist 
farmers in crisis, including programs and work-
shops;’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding the dissemination of information and 
materials’’ before the semicolon at the end; 
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘to enable the 
State cooperative extension services’’ and inserting 
‘‘or Indian Tribes, as applicable,’’; 
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘fiscal years’’ 
and all that follows and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2018 
through 2023’’; and 
(5) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e) and inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) OVERSIGHT AND EVALUATION.—The Secretary, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, shall review and evaluate the stress assistance 
programs carried out pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM
REVIEW.—Not later than 2 
years after the date on which a grant is first pro-
370 
vided under this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) review the programs funded under a 
grant made under this section to evaluate the 
effectiveness of the services offered through 
such a program, and suggest alternative serv-
ices not offered by such a grant recipient that 
would be appropriate for behavioral health serv-
ices; and 
‘‘(B) submit to the Congress, and make 
available on the public Internet website of the 
Department of Agriculture, a report containing 
the results of the review conducted under sub-
paragraph (A) and a description of the services 
provided through programs funded under such 
a grant. 
‘‘(2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—In making the re-
port under paragraph (1) publicly available, the Sec-
retary shall take such steps as may be necessary to 
ensure that the report does not contain any informa-
tion that would identify any person who received 
services under a program funded under a grant 
made under this section.’’.
371 
SEC. 6004. SUPPORTING AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION 
HEALTH PLANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture may 
establish a loan program and a grant program to assist 
in the establishment of agricultural association health 
plans, in order to help bring new health options and lower 
priced health care coverage to rural Americans. 
(b) LOANS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to plan years 
2019 through 2022, the Secretary of Agriculture, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Labor, may make 
not more than 10 loans under this section, for pur-
poses of establishing agricultural association health 
plans, to qualified agricultural associations that have 
not received a loan under this section. 
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—The proceeds of a loan 
made under this section may only be used to finance 
costs associated with establishing and carrying out 
an agricultural association health plan. 
(3) LOAN TERMS.—A loan made under this sec-
tion shall— 
(A) bear interest at an annual rate equiva-
lent to the cost of borrowing to the Department 
of the Treasury for obligations of comparable 
maturities;
372 
(B) have a term of such length, not ex-
ceeding 20 years, as the borrower may request; 
(C) be in an amount not to exceed 
$15,000,000; 
(D) require that the borrower submit an-
nual audited financial statements to the Sec-
retary; and 
(E) include any other requirements or doc-
umentation the Secretary deems necessary to 
carry out this section. 
(c) GRANTS.—The Secretary may make grants to ag-
ricultural trade associations or industry associations which 
have been in existence for at least three years prior to 
applying for such a grant to provide for technical assist-
ance in establishing an agricultural association health 
plan. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $65,000,000 
for the period of fiscal years 2019 through 2022, to 
be available until expended. 
(2) RESERVATION
OF
FUNDS.—Of the funds 
made available under paragraph (1), not more than 
15 percent of such funds shall be made available to 
make grants under subsection (c).
373 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
AGRICULTURAL
ASSOCIATION
HEALTH 
PLAN.—The term ‘‘agricultural association health 
plan’’ means a group health plan within the meaning 
of section 733(a)(1) of the Employee Retirement In-
come Security Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 1191b)— 
(A) that is sponsored by a qualified agri-
cultural association; and 
(B) with respect to which the Secretary 
has received a letter from the relevant State in-
surance commissioner certifying that such asso-
ciation may offer such plan in such State. 
(2) QUALIFIED AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION.— 
The term ‘‘qualified agricultural association’’ means 
an association— 
(A) composed of members that operate a 
farm or ranch or operate an agribusiness; 
(B) that qualifies as an association health 
plan within the meaning of guidance or regula-
tion issued by the Department of Labor; 
(C) that acts directly or indirectly in the 
interest of its members in relation to the plan; 
(D) that is able to demonstrate an ability 
to implement and manage a group health plan; 
and
374 
(E) that meets any other criteria the Sec-
retary deems necessary to meet the intent of 
this section. 
SEC. 6005. REFINANCING OF CERTAIN RURAL HOSPITAL 
DEBT. 
Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural De-
velopment Act (7 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.) is amended by in-
serting after section 341 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 342. REFINANCING OF CERTAIN RURAL HOSPITAL 
DEBT. 
‘‘Assistance under section 306(a) for a community fa-
cility or under section 310B may include the refinancing 
of a debt obligation of a rural hospital as an eligible loan 
or loan guarantee purpose if the assistance would help pre-
serve access to a health service in a rural community and 
meaningfully improve the financial position of the hos-
pital.’’. 
Subtitle 
B—Connecting 
Rural 
Americans 
to 
High 
Speed 
Broadband 
SEC. 6101. ESTABLISHING FORWARD-LOOKING BROADBAND 
STANDARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 601 of the Rural Elec-
trification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 950bb) is amended—
375 
(1) in subsection (d)(1)(A), by striking clause 
(i) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) demonstrate the ability to furnish 
or improve service in order to meet the 
broadband service standards established 
under subsection (e)(1) in all or part of an 
unserved or underserved rural area;’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
for purposes of this section, the Secretary shall es-
tablish broadband service standards for rural areas 
which provide for— 
‘‘(A) a minimum acceptable standard of 
service that requires the speed to be at least 25 
megabits per second downstream transmission 
capacity and 3 megabits per second upstream 
transmission capacity; and 
‘‘(B) projections of minimum acceptable 
standards of service for 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 
years into the future. 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At least once every 2 
years, the Secretary shall review, and may ad-
376 
just through notice published in the Federal 
Register, the broadband service standards in ef-
fect under paragraph (1) to encourage the de-
livery of high quality, cost-effective broadband 
service in rural areas. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing 
and adjusting the broadband service standards 
in effect under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall consider— 
‘‘(i) the broadband service needs of 
rural families and businesses; 
‘‘(ii) broadband service available to 
urban and suburban areas; 
‘‘(iii) future technology needs of rural 
residents; 
‘‘(iv) advances in broadband tech-
nology; and 
‘‘(v) other relevant factors as deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary shall not 
provide a loan or loan guarantee under this section 
for a project unless the Secretary determines, at the 
time the agreement to provide the loan or loan guar-
antee is entered into, that, at any time while the
377 
loan or loan guarantee is outstanding, the project 
will be capable of providing broadband service at not 
less than the minimum acceptable standard of serv-
ice established under paragraph (1)(B) for that 
time. 
‘‘(5) SUBSTITUTE
SERVICE
STANDARDS
FOR 
UNIQUE
SERVICE
TERRITORIES.—If an applicant 
shows that it would be cost prohibitive to meet the 
minimum acceptable level of broadband service es-
tablished under paragraph (1)(B) for the entirety of 
a proposed service territory due to the unique char-
acteristics of the proposed service territory, the Sec-
retary and the applicant may agree to utilize sub-
stitute standards for any unserved portion of the 
project. Any substitute service standards should con-
tinue to consider the matters described in paragraph 
(2)(B) and reflect the best technology available to 
meet the needs of the residents in the unserved 
area.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (g)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘level 
of broadband service established under sub-
section (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘standard of service 
established under subsection (e)(1)(A)’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following:
378 
‘‘(4) MINIMUM
STANDARDS.—To the extent 
possible, the terms and conditions under which a 
loan or loan guarantee is provided to an applicant 
for a project shall require that, at any time while the 
loan 
or 
loan 
guarantee 
is 
outstanding, 
the 
broadband network provided by the project will meet 
the lower of— 
‘‘(A) the minimum acceptable standard of 
service projected under subsection (e)(1)(B) for 
that time, as agreed to by the applicant at the 
time the loan or loan guarantee is provided; or 
‘‘(B) the minimum acceptable standard of 
service in effect under subsection (e)(1)(A) for 
that time.’’. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Within 12 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
of the Rural Utilities Service (in this subsection referred 
to as the ‘‘RUS’’) shall submit to the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen-
ate a written report on the effectiveness of RUS loan and 
loan guarantee programs for the purpose of expanding 
broadband to rural areas (as defined in RUS regulations), 
which shall—