I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4820 
To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to 
provide assistance to manage farmer and rancher stress and for the 
mental health of individuals in rural areas, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 23, 2019 
Mr. BRINDISI (for himself, Ms. CRAIG, and Mr. KATKO) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Department of Agriculture Reorganization 
Act of 1994 to provide assistance to manage farmer 
and rancher stress and for the mental health of individ-
uals in rural areas, 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 ‘‘Seeding Rural Resil-
ience Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec-
retary of Agriculture. 
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SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) according to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention, the suicide rate is 45 percent 
greater in rural areas of the United States than the 
suicide rate in urban areas of the United States; 
(2) farmers face social isolation, the potential 
for financial losses, barriers to seeking mental health 
services, and access to lethal means to commit sui-
cide; and 
(3) as commodity prices fall and farmers face 
uncertainty, reports of farmer suicides are increas-
ing. 
SEC. 4. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN TO 
ADDRESS 
FARM 
AND 
RANCH 
MENTAL 
HEALTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall 
carry out a public service announcement campaign to ad-
dress the mental health of farmers and ranchers. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The public service announce-
ment campaign under subsection (a) shall include tele-
vision, radio, print, outdoor, and digital public service an-
nouncements. 
(c) CONTRACTOR.—The Secretary may enter into a 
contract or other agreement with a third party to carry 
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out the public service announcement campaign under sub-
section (a). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $3,000,000, to remain available until ex-
pended. 
SEC. 5. EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM TO MANAGE FARM-
ER AND RANCHER STRESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6912 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 224B. EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAM TO MANAGE 
FARMER AND RANCHER STRESS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
voluntary program to train employees of the Farm Service 
Agency, the Risk Management Agency, and the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service in the management of 
stress experienced by farmers and ranchers, including the 
detection of stress and suicide prevention. 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the Secretary submits a report on the 
results of the pilot program being carried out by the Sec-
retary as of the date of enactment of this section to train 
employees of the Department in the management of stress 
experienced by farmers and ranchers, and based on the 
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recommendations contained in that report, the Secretary 
shall develop a training program to carry out subsection 
(a). 
‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not less frequently than once every 
2 years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen-
ate a report describing the implementation of this sec-
tion.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994 is amended by redesig-
nating section 225 (7 U.S.C. 6925) as section 224A. 
(2) Section 296(b) of the Department of Agri-
culture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 
7014(b)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(11) The authority of the Secretary to carry 
out section 224B.’’. 
SEC. 6. TASK FORCE FOR ASSESSMENT OF CAUSES OF MEN-
TAL STRESS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR RE-
SPONSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall convene a 
task force of agricultural and rural stakeholders at the 
national, State, and local levels— 
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(1) to assess the causes of mental stress in 
farmers and ranchers; and 
(2) to identify best practices for responding to 
that mental stress. 
(b) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the task force con-
vened under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary 
a report containing the assessment and best practices 
under paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, of subsection 
(a). 
(c) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the task force convened under subsection (a) shall collabo-
rate with nongovernmental organizations and State and 
local agencies. 
Æ 
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