Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3230 | Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter (D-VT)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2021
This bill expands and otherwise revises a program to support state procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables under the National School Lunch Program.
Specifically, the bill expands the number of participating states from a maximum of 8 to a maximum of 14 and establishes additional requirements with respect to priorities, reporting, and evaluations, including with respect to socially disadvantaged populations and the program's economic impact.
The bill provides funds for the program through FY2026.

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish 
a program for the procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits 
    and vegetables to provide healthier school meals, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Local School Foods Expansion Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAM FOR PROCUREMENT OF DOMESTICALLY GROWN UNPROCESSED 
              FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

    Section 6(f) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1755(f)) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Pilot Project 
        for Procurement of'' and inserting ``Program for Procurement of 
        Domestically Grown'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``conduct a pilot project'' and 
                inserting ``carry out a program (referred to in this 
                subsection as the `program')'';
                    (B) by inserting ``domestically grown'' before 
                ``unprocessed''; and
                    (C) by striking ``8'' and inserting ``14'';
            (3) by striking ``pilot project'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``program'';
            (4) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
        (A), by inserting ``domestically grown'' before 
        ``unprocessed'';
            (5) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
                subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following:
                    ``(B) the demonstrated commitment of the State to 
                support small, local, and socially disadvantaged 
                farmers;
                    ``(C) the demonstrated commitment of the State to 
                support Tribal agricultural producers and communities 
                utilizing traditional foods;
                    ``(D) whether the State will serve a high 
                proportion of children from socially disadvantaged 
                backgrounds in carrying out the program;'';
            (6) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
                ``Recordkeeping and reporting'' and inserting 
                ``Recordkeeping, reporting, and evaluation'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at 
                        the end;
                            (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period 
                        at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) the challenges and opportunities 
                        presented by the program in the State.''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Program evaluation.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than 2 years 
                        after the date of enactment of this 
                        subparagraph, the Secretary shall evaluate the 
                        impact of the program, including with respect 
                        to--
                                    ``(I) the quantity and cost of each 
                                type of unprocessed fruit and vegetable 
                                procured by each State under the 
                                program;
                                    ``(II) the benefit of the procured 
                                unprocessed fruits and vegetables to 
                                school food service in each State, 
                                including the benefit to meeting school 
                                meal requirements;
                                    ``(III) the economic impact of the 
                                program on agricultural producers in 
                                the State;
                                    ``(IV) the economic, geographic, 
                                social, and administrative barriers to 
                                participation, including the 
                                reimbursement process, experienced by 
                                agricultural producers and school food 
                                authorities; and
                                    ``(V) eligibility requirements for 
                                agricultural producers, including any 
                                barriers to becoming approved vendors.
                            ``(ii) Report.--Not later than 4 years 
                        after the date of enactment of this 
                        subparagraph, the Secretary shall submit to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
                        Representatives and the Committee on 
                        Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
                        Senate a report that describes the results of 
                        the evaluation conducted under clause (i) and 
                        an analysis of that evaluation.''; and
            (7) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Funding.--
                    ``(A) Mandatory funding.--There is appropriated to 
                carry out this subsection $25,000,000 for each of 
                fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
                    ``(B) Reservation for administrative costs; 
                technical assistance.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Of the funds 
                        appropriated under subparagraph (A) for each 
                        fiscal year, $10,000,000 shall be reserved for 
                        States selected under the program under 
                        paragraph (1) to carry out the activities 
                        described in clause (ii)(I).
                            ``(ii) Administrative costs; technical 
                        assistance.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--The funds 
                                reserved under clause (i) shall be 
                                used--
                                            ``(aa) for the 
                                        administrative costs of 
                                        carrying out the program, 
                                        including costs of satisfying 
                                        record keeping and reporting 
                                        requirements;
                                            ``(bb) to coordinate among 
                                        or share with agencies and 
                                        departments involved in 
                                        carrying out the program in the 
                                        State; and
                                            ``(cc) to provide technical 
                                        assistance and outreach to--

                                                    ``(AA) vendors to 
                                                become certified to 
                                                participate in the 
                                                program; and

                                                    ``(BB) school food 
                                                authorities, regional 
                                                food hubs, State and 
                                                local agencies, Indian 
                                                Tribal organizations, 
                                                agricultural producers, 
                                                socially disadvantaged 
                                                farmers, and other 
                                                entities to participate 
                                                in the program.

                                    ``(II) Minimum allotment.--Of the 
                                funds reserved under clause (i), each 
                                State selected under paragraph (3)(A) 
                                shall receive not less than $500,000 
                                for each fiscal year during which the 
                                State participates in the program.
                    ``(C) Reservation for technical assistance to 
                nonparticipating states.--Of the funds appropriated 
                under subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year, $1,000,000 
                shall be reserved--
                            ``(i) only if there are fewer than 14 
                        States participating in the program that fiscal 
                        year; and
                            ``(ii) to provide technical assistance with 
                        eligibility requirements for States seeking to 
                        participate in the program.''.
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