A bill to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize grants for eligible institutions to carry out agriculture workforce training programs, and for other purposes.
Bill: S.4604 | Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina (D-MN)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
This bill directs the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a grant program within its Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program for eligible institutions to develop and carry out agriculture workforce training programs to (1) promote the growth of the agriculture industry, (2) foster competitiveness within the industry, and (3) improve the training and retention of workers in the agriculture industry.
The program must be implemented by January 31, 2024.

To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to 
  authorize grants for eligible institutions to carry out agriculture 
          workforce training programs, 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. AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 2501(d) of the Food, Agriculture, 
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(d)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(16) Agriculture workforce training program grants.--
                    ``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Agriculture workforce training 
                        program.--The term `agriculture workforce 
                        training program' means a training program 
                        developed by an eligible institution in 
                        collaboration with a targeted industry partner 
                        through which students enrolled at that 
                        eligible institution receive training from that 
                        targeted industry partner, including through--
                                    ``(I) internships;
                                    ``(II) apprenticeships;
                                    ``(III) experience-based curricula; 
                                and
                                    ``(IV) educational programs and 
                                workshops to promote technical skills.
                            ``(ii) Eligible institution.--The term 
                        `eligible institution' means--
                                    ``(I) an 1862 Institution (as 
                                defined in section 2 of the 
                                Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
                                Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 
                                7601));
                                    ``(II) an 1890 Institution (as 
                                defined in that section);
                                    ``(III) a 1994 Institution (as 
                                defined in section 532 of the Equity in 
                                Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 
                                1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 
                                103-382));
                                    ``(IV) a non-land-grant college of 
                                agriculture (as defined in section 1404 
                                of the National Agricultural Research, 
                                Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
                                1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103));
                                    ``(V) Hispanic-serving agricultural 
                                colleges and universities (as defined 
                                in that section);
                                    ``(VI) a center of excellence 
                                recognized under section 1673;
                                    ``(VII) a junior or community 
                                college (as defined in section 312 of 
                                the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                                U.S.C. 1058)) that offers a program of 
                                study in agriculture; and
                                    ``(VIII) an area career and 
                                technical education school (as defined 
                                in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins 
                                Career and Technical Education Act of 
                                2006 (20 U.S.C. 2302)) that offers a 
                                program of study in agriculture.
                            ``(iii) Targeted industry partner.--The 
                        term `targeted industry partner' means 1 or 
                        more of the following entities:
                                    ``(I) A member of the agriculture 
                                industry, such as a company or industry 
                                association.
                                    ``(II) An apprenticeship program in 
                                agriculture registered under the Act of 
                                August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the 
                                `National Apprenticeship Act') (50 
                                Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et 
                                seq.).
                                    ``(III) A nonprofit organization 
                                that aims to help individuals gain 
                                employment in the agriculture industry.
                    ``(B) Authorization of grants.--The Secretary, 
                acting through the Director of the National Institute 
                of Food and Agriculture, shall award grants in 
                accordance with this subsection to eligible 
                institutions to develop and carry out agriculture 
                workforce training programs--
                            ``(i) to promote the growth of the 
                        agriculture industry;
                            ``(ii) to foster competitiveness within the 
                        agriculture industry; and
                            ``(iii) to improve the training and 
                        retention of workers in the agriculture 
                        industry.
                    ``(C) Use of grant funds.--An eligible institution 
                awarded a grant under this paragraph shall use not less 
                than 5 percent of the funds received through the grant 
                to carry out an agriculture workforce training program, 
                including--
                            ``(i) preliminary recruitment measures to 
                        encourage students to participate in the 
                        agriculture workforce training program; and
                            ``(ii) professional development sessions to 
                        train faculty to prepare students for 
                        employment in the agriculture industry.''.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than January 31, 2024, the Secretary 
of Agriculture shall implement paragraph (16) of section 2501(d) of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
2279(d)) (as added by subsection (a)).
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