I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6500 
To expand the availability of programs of the Department of Agriculture 
to veteran farmers and ranchers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 24, 2018 
Mr. WALZ (for himself, Mr. DENHAM, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. 
BOST, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. 
O’ROURKE, Ms. ESTY of Connecticut, Mr. KIND, Mr. SEAN PATRICK 
MALONEY of New York, Mr. KILMER, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. RYAN of 
Ohio, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, and Mr. CARBAJAL) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To expand the availability of programs of the Department 
of Agriculture to veteran farmers and ranchers, and for 
other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Veteran Empowerment 
and Training to Facilitate Agricultural Revitalization and 
Mobilization Act of 2018’’ or the ‘‘VET-2-FARM Act of 
2018’’. 
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SEC. 2. AVAILABILITY OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
PROGRAMS FOR VETERAN FARMERS AND 
RANCHERS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF VETERAN FARMER OR RANCH-
ER.—Section 2501(e)(7) of the Food, Agriculture, Con-
servation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e)(7)) 
is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) is a veteran (as defined in section 
101 of that title) who has first obtained status 
as a veteran (as so defined) during the most re-
cent 10-year period.’’. 
(b) FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE.— 
(1) DEFINITION
OF
VETERAN
FARMER
OR 
RANCHER.—Section 502(b) of the Federal Crop In-
surance Act (7 U.S.C. 1502(b)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) VETERAN FARMER OR RANCHER.—The 
term ‘veteran farmer or rancher’ means a farmer or 
rancher who— 
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‘‘(A) has served in the Armed Forces (as 
defined in section 101 of title 38, United States 
Code); and 
‘‘(B)(i) has not operated a farm or ranch; 
‘‘(ii) has operated a farm or ranch for not 
more than 10 years; or 
‘‘(iii) is a veteran (as defined in section 
101 of that title) who has first obtained status 
as a veteran (as so defined) during the most re-
cent 5-year period.’’. 
(2) CROP INSURANCE.—Section 508 of the Fed-
eral Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in subsection (b)(5)(E), by inserting ‘‘, 
and veteran farmers or ranchers’’ before the pe-
riod at the end; 
(B) in subsection (e)(8)— 
(i) in the paragraph heading, by in-
serting ‘‘AND
VETERAN’’ after ‘‘BEGIN-
NING’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or veteran farmer or 
rancher’’ 
after 
‘‘beginning 
farmer 
or 
rancher’’ each place it appears; and 
(C) in subsection (g)— 
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(i) in paragraph (2)(B)(iii), in the 
matter preceding subclause (I), by insert-
ing ‘‘or veteran farmer or rancher’’ after 
‘‘beginning farmer or rancher’’ each place 
it appears; and 
(ii) in paragraph (4)(B)(ii)(II), by in-
serting ‘‘and veteran farmers or ranchers’’ 
after ‘‘beginning farmers or ranchers’’. 
(3) EDUCATION
AND
RISK
MANAGEMENT
AS-
SISTANCE.—Section 524(a)(4) of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(a)(4)) is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) veteran farmers or ranchers.’’. 
(c) DOWN
PAYMENT
LOAN
PROGRAM.—Section 
310E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1935) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘qualified 
beginning farmers or ranchers and socially disadvan-
taged farmers or ranchers’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible 
farmers or ranchers’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
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(A) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘re-
cipients of the loans’’ and inserting ‘‘farmers or 
ranchers’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (3) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(3) encourage retiring farmers and ranchers to 
assist in the sale of their farms and ranches to eligi-
ble farmers or ranchers by providing seller financ-
ing;’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘for be-
ginning farmers or ranchers or socially dis-
advantaged farmers or ranchers’’ and inserting 
the following: ‘‘for— 
‘‘(A) beginning farmers or ranchers; 
‘‘(B) socially disadvantaged farmers or 
ranchers, as defined in section 355(e); or 
‘‘(C) veteran farmers or ranchers, as de-
fined in section 2501(e) of the Food, Agri-
culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 2279(e))’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘a quali-
fied beginning farmer or rancher or socially dis-
advantaged farmer or rancher’’ and inserting 
‘‘an eligible farmer or rancher’’; and 
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(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(e) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE FARMER OR RANCH-
ER.—In this section, the term ‘eligible farmer or rancher’ 
means— 
‘‘(1) a qualified beginning farmer or rancher; 
‘‘(2) a socially disadvantaged farmer or ranch-
er, as defined in section 355(e); and 
‘‘(3) a veteran farmer or rancher, as defined in 
section 2501(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e)).’’. 
(d) INTEREST RATE REDUCTION PROGRAM.—Sec-
tion 351(e)(2)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1999(e)(2)(B)) is amended— 
(1) in the subparagraph heading, by inserting 
‘‘AND VETERAN’’ after ‘‘BEGINNING’’; 
(2) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘or veteran farm-
ers and ranchers (as defined in section 2501(e) of 
the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e)))’’ before the period at 
the end; and 
(3) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘beginning’’. 
(e) NATIONAL
FOOD
SAFETY
TRAINING, EDU-
CATION, EXTENSION, OUTREACH, AND TECHNICAL AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM.—Section 405(c) of the Agricultural 
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the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)(1)(B)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘beginning farmers or ranchers 
and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers’’ and in-
serting ‘‘covered farmers or ranchers, as defined in section 
1235(f)(1)’’. 
(h) SUPPLEMENTAL AGRICULTURAL DISASTER AS-
SISTANCE.— 
(1) DEFINITION OF COVERED PRODUCER.—Sec-
tion 1501(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
U.S.C. 9081(a)) is amended— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(1) 
through (4) as paragraphs (2) through (5), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as 
so redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(1) COVERED PRODUCER.—The term ‘covered 
producer’ means an eligible producer on a farm that 
is— 
‘‘(A) as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) a beginning farmer or rancher; 
‘‘(ii) a socially disadvantaged farmer 
or rancher; or 
‘‘(iii) a limited resource farmer or 
rancher; or 
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‘‘(B) a veteran farmer or rancher, as de-
fined in section 2501(e) of the Food, Agri-
culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 2279(e)).’’. 
(2) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK, 
HONEY
BEES, AND
FARM-RAISED
FISH.—Section 
1501(d) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
9081(d)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) PAYMENT
RATE
FOR
COVERED
PRO-
DUCERS.—In the case of a covered producer that is 
eligible to receive assistance under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall provide reimbursement of 90 per-
cent of the cost of losses described in paragraph (1) 
or (2).’’. 
SEC. 3. AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT AVAILABLE TO VET-
ERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 219 of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6919) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
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(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(5) provide information to veterans concerning 
the availability of, and eligibility requirements for, 
positions identified within the Department of Agri-
culture that are available to employ or train vet-
erans; 
‘‘(6) consult with the Secretary of Defense, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of 
Labor, and the Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration with respect to carrying out activities 
that assist veterans with agriculture-related employ-
ment; and 
‘‘(7) establish and periodically update the 
website described in subsection (d).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(d) WEBSITE REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The website required under 
subsection (b)(7) shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) Positions identified within the De-
partment of Agriculture that are available to 
veterans for apprenticeships. 
‘‘(B) Apprenticeships, programs of training 
on the job, and programs of education that are 
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approved for purposes of chapter 36 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
‘‘(C) Employment skills training programs 
for members of the Armed Forces carried out 
pursuant to section 1143(e) of title 10, United 
States Code. 
‘‘(D) Information designed to assist busi-
nesses, nonprofit entities, educational institu-
tions, and farmers interested in developing ap-
prenticeships, on-the-job training, educational, 
or entrepreneurial programs for veterans in 
navigating the process of having a program ap-
proved by a State approving agency for pur-
poses of chapter 36 of title 38, United States 
Code. Such information shall include each of 
the following: 
‘‘(i) Contact information for relevant 
offices in the Department of Defense, De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, Department 
of Labor, and Small Business Administra-
tion. 
‘‘(ii) Basic requirements for approval 
by each State approving agency. 
‘‘(iii) Recommendations with respect 
to training and coursework to be used dur-
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ing apprenticeships or on-the-job training 
that will enable a veteran to be eligible for 
agricultural programs. 
‘‘(iv) Examples of successful programs 
and curriculums that have been approved 
for purposes of chapter 36 of title 38, 
United States Code (with consent of the 
organization and without any personally 
identifiable information). 
‘‘(2) REVIEW OF WEBSITE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this para-
graph, and once every 5 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall conduct a study to determine if 
the website required under subsection (b)(7) is 
effective in providing veterans the information 
required under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) INEFFECTIVE WEBSITE.—If the Sec-
retary determines that the website is not effec-
tive under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(i) notify the agriculture and vet-
erans committees of such determination; 
and 
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‘‘(ii) not earlier than 180 days after 
the date on which the Secretary provides 
notice under clause (i), terminate the 
website. 
‘‘(C) AGRICULTURE AND VETERANS COM-
MITTEES
DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘agriculture and veterans committees’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives; 
‘‘(ii) the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; 
‘‘(iii) the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives; and 
‘‘(iv) the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the Senate. 
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—In carrying out 
this section, the Secretary shall consult with organizations 
that serve veterans.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 296(b) of 
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 
1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) The authority of the Secretary to carry out 
amendments made to this title by the Veteran Em-
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powerment and Training to Facilitate Agricultural 
Revitalization and Mobilization Act of 2018.’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON VETERANS EMPLOYED IN AGRI-
CULTURE. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually there-
after, the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide a report 
to the agriculture and veterans committees that includes 
the following: 
(1) Positions identified within the Department 
of Agriculture that are, on the date of such report, 
available for apprenticeships by service members or 
veterans. 
(2) A summary of the information on such posi-
tions that has been provided to the Department of 
Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
the Department of Labor. 
(3) A summary of measures taken to partner 
with the Department of Defense to identify and de-
velop potential career skills programs for service 
members who transition out of the armed services. 
(4) The information the Department of Agri-
culture is disseminating to agricultural entities to 
help such entities contact the Department of De-
fense to establish career skills programs. 
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(5) The information the Department of Agri-
culture has provided to the Department of Defense, 
Department of Veterans Affairs, Small Business Ad-
ministration, and the Department of Labor on avail-
able apprenticeships or on-the-job training available 
to veterans. 
(6) Information on how agricultural entities can 
contact the Department of Agriculture for technical 
assistance in establishing Department of Labor ap-
proved apprenticeships and Department of Defense 
approved on-the-job training opportunities. 
(b) AGRICULTURE AND VETERANS COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘agriculture and vet-
erans committees’’ has the meaning given the term in sub-
section (d)(2)(C) of section 219 of the Department of Ag-
riculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6919), as 
added by this Act. 
Æ 
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