Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.6003 | Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. (D-NH)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance Act of 2021
This bill extends through FY2028 and makes other changes to a technology transfer program for assisting agricultural producers in rural areas.
Among the changes, the bill (1) incorporates a specific focus on beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers and ranchers; and (2) expands the scope of the assistance to include improving farm viability, strengthening supply chains, and increasing resilience to extreme weather through conservation practices.

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to improve and 
  extend the appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veteran and Beginning Farmers 
Assistance Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR RURAL AREAS PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Section 310B(i)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(i)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting 
        ``, including a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially 
        disadvantaged farmer or rancher, and a veteran farmer or 
        rancher (as such terms are defined in section 2501(a) of the 
        Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
        U.S.C. 2279(a))),'' after ``producers'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (3) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E);
            (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following:
                    ``(D) increase on-farm resilience to extreme 
                weather by enhancing soil health and adopting other 
                conservation practices;'';
            (5) in subparagraph (E), as so redesignated, by striking 
        the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) improve farm viability and strengthen local, 
                regional, and national supply chains.''.
    (b) Implementation.--Section 310B(i)(3) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(i)(3)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
                    ``(C) Eligibility for and use of other funds.--A 
                national nonprofit agricultural assistance institution 
                that receives a grant or enters into a cooperative 
                agreement under this subsection--
                            ``(i) may not, as a result of such grant or 
                        cooperative agreement, be treated as ineligible 
                        for a grant under any other Federal program; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) may utilize, in accordance with 
                        applicable law, other public and private funds 
                        made available to the organization to expand 
                        the resources and outreach of the program 
                        established under this subsection.''.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 310B(i)(4) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(i)(4)) is 
amended to read as follows:
            ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection--
                    ``(A) $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 
                through 2023; and
                    ``(B) $8,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028.''.
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