I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3815 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to authorize the Secretary 
of Agriculture to make grants to carry out gleaning projects. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 
Mr. LAWSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. DEUTCH, and Ms. WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to authorize 
the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to carry 
out gleaning projects. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Food Sharing Act of 
2017’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS. 
(a) 
ASSISTANCE
FOR
COMMUNITY
FOOD 
PROJECTS.—Section 25 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2034) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (b)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (C) and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(C) $9,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2015 through 2017; and 
‘‘(D) $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2018 and 
each fiscal year thereafter.’’. 
(b) ASSISTANCE
FOR GLEANING PROJECTS.—The 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 30. ASSISTANCE FOR GLEANING PROJECTS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) GLEANING PROJECT.—The term ‘gleaning 
project’ means a project in which an entity— 
‘‘(A) collects edible, surplus food that 
would be thrown away and distributes the food 
to agencies or nonprofit organizations that feed 
the hungry; or 
‘‘(B) harvests for free distribution to the 
needy, or for donation to agencies or nonprofit 
organizations for ultimate distribution to the 
needy, an agricultural crop that has been do-
nated by the owner of the crop. 
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‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means a public food program service provider, 
a tribal organization, or a private nonprofit entity 
that— 
‘‘(A) has experience in the area of— 
‘‘(i) providing food to individuals in 
low-income communities; or 
‘‘(ii) engaging in efforts to reduce 
food insecurity in low-income communities, 
including food distribution, improving ac-
cess to services, or coordinating services 
and programs; 
‘‘(B) demonstrates competency to imple-
ment a gleaning project, to provide fiscal ac-
countability, to collect data, and to prepare re-
ports and other necessary documentation relat-
ing to such project; 
‘‘(C) demonstrates a willingness to share 
information relating to such project with re-
searchers, practitioners, and other persons; and 
‘‘(D) submits to the Secretary an applica-
tion that contains such terms and conditions as 
the Secretary may require by rule, including an 
agreement to provide the non-Federal cost of 
such project. 
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‘‘(b) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) FUNDS.—From amounts made available to 
carry out this Act, the Secretary may make grants 
to assist eligible entities to establish and carry out 
gleaning projects. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION ON GRANTS.—The aggregate 
amount of funds provided as grants made under this 
section may not exceed $500,000 for fiscal year 
2018 and each fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘(c) 
PREFERENCE
FOR
CERTAIN
GLEANING 
PROJECTS.—In selecting gleaning projects to receive 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to projects designed to develop new resources and 
strategies to help reduce food insecurity and prevent food 
insecurity in low-income communities that are the subject 
of such projects by— 
‘‘(1) developing creative food resources; or 
‘‘(2) coordinating food services with park and 
recreation programs, and other community-based ac-
tivities, to reduce barriers to access to food. 
‘‘(d) COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of carrying out a gleaning project for which 
a grant is made under this section shall be paid with 
such grant by the Secretary in such amount as the 
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