Title: Food Sharing Act of 2017
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Food Sharing Act of 2017
This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to: (1) reduce from $9 million to $8.5 million the annual limitation on the total amount of grants that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) may provide under the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program, and (2) authorize USDA to establish a separate program to provide up to $500,000 annually for grants to establish and carry out gleaning projects.
In a gleaning project, an eligible entity: (1) collects edible, surplus food that would be thrown away and distributes the food to agencies or nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry; or (2) harvests for free distribution to the needy, or for donation to agencies or nonprofit organizations for ultimate distribution to the needy, an agricultural crop that has been donated by the owner of the crop.
The eligible entities include public food program service providers, tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities that meet certain requirements for experience, demonstrated competency, cost-sharing, and a willingness to share information regarding the project.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3815 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3815

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to authorize the Secretary 
     of Agriculture to make grants to carry out gleaning projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2017

   Mr. Lawson of Florida (for himself, Mr. Deutch, and Ms. Wasserman 
   Schultz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                        Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to authorize the Secretary 
     of Agriculture to make grants to carry out gleaning projects.

    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 ``Food Sharing Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Assistance for Community Food Projects.--Section 25 of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2034) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``and'' at the 
                end; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(C) $9,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2015 
                through 2017; and
                    ``(D) $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2018 and each 
                fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Assistance for Gleaning Projects.--The Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 30. ASSISTANCE FOR GLEANING PROJECTS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Gleaning project.--The term `gleaning project' means 
        a project in which an entity--
                    ``(A) collects edible, surplus food that would be 
                thrown away and distributes the food to agencies or 
                nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry; or
                    ``(B) harvests for free distribution to the needy, 
                or for donation to agencies or nonprofit organizations 
                for ultimate distribution to the needy, an agricultural 
                crop that has been donated by the owner of the crop.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
        public food program service provider, a tribal organization, or 
        a private nonprofit entity that--
                    ``(A) has experience in the area of--
                            ``(i) providing food to individuals in low-
                        income communities; or
                            ``(ii) engaging in efforts to reduce food 
                        insecurity in low-income communities, including 
                        food distribution, improving access to 
                        services, or coordinating services and 
                        programs;
                    ``(B) demonstrates competency to implement a 
                gleaning project, to provide fiscal accountability, to 
                collect data, and to prepare reports and other 
                necessary documentation relating to such project;
                    ``(C) demonstrates a willingness to share 
                information relating to such project with researchers, 
                practitioners, and other persons; and
                    ``(D) submits to the Secretary an application that 
                contains such terms and conditions as the Secretary may 
                require by rule, including an agreement to provide the 
                non-Federal cost of such project.
    ``(b) Authority To Provide Assistance.--
            ``(1) Funds.--From amounts made available to carry out this 
        Act, the Secretary may make grants to assist eligible entities 
        to establish and carry out gleaning projects.
            ``(2) Limitation on grants.--The aggregate amount of funds 
        provided as grants made under this section may not exceed 
        $500,000 for fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter.
    ``(c) Preference for Certain Gleaning Projects.--In selecting 
gleaning projects to receive grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give preference to projects designed to develop new resources and 
strategies to help reduce food insecurity and prevent food insecurity 
in low-income communities that are the subject of such projects by--
            ``(1) developing creative food resources; or
            ``(2) coordinating food services with park and recreation 
        programs, and other community-based activities, to reduce 
        barriers to access to food.
    ``(d) Cost-Sharing Requirements.--
            ``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
        carrying out a gleaning project for which a grant is made under 
        this section shall be paid with such grant by the Secretary in 
        such amount as the Secretary determines but may not exceed 50 
        percent of the cost of such project.
            ``(2) Non-federal share.--The recipient of a grant under 
        this section shall provide in cash or in kind, fairly 
        evaluated, including facilities, equipment, or services, from 
        non-Federal sources for the cost of such project that is not 
        paid under paragraph (1).
    ``(e) Term of Grant.--
            ``(1) Single grant.--Only 1 grant may be made under this 
        section for a particular gleaning project.
            ``(2) Term.--The period during which the grant made under 
        this section may be expended may not exceed 5 years.
    ``(f) Technical Assistance and Related Information.--
            ``(1) Technical assistance.--In carrying out this section, 
        the Secretary may provide assistance to an eligible entity 
        regarding gleaning projects, processes, and development.
            ``(2) Sharing information.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may share 
                information concerning gleaning projects and issues 
                with the public through publications, conferences, and 
                other appropriate forums.
                    ``(B) Other interested persons.--The Secretary may 
                share information concerning gleaning projects with 
                researchers, practitioners, and other interested 
                persons.
    ``(g) Reports to Congress.--Not later than September 30, 2018, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a 
report that describes with respect to each grant made under this 
section information that includes--
            ``(1) a description of each activity funded with such 
        grant; and
            ``(2) the degree of success in improving the long-term 
        capacity of the low-income community served by the gleaning 
        project involved to address food and agriculture problems 
        related to hunger or access to healthy food in such 
        community.''.
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