Title: To increase the access of small farmers in Puerto Rico to Federal agriculture programs, and for other purposes.
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Advocacy and Outreach to increase the access of small farmers who grow specialty crops in Puerto Rico to loans under several USDA programs. (Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.) The programs covered by the bill include microloan programs, programs for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, programs for beginning farmers, and the emergency loan program.
The USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach must also carry out a training program to teach best farming practices to small farmers in Puerto Rico.
The Department of the Interior must develop a program to allow small farmers to farm on federal land in Puerto Rico if: (1) the land is not environmentally sensitive, (2) farming on the land will not harm endangered native species or natural habitats, and (3) the land is suitable for farming.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5450 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5450

   To increase the access of small farmers in Puerto Rico to Federal 
             agriculture programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2018

   Mr. Soto introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural 
 Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To increase the access of small farmers in Puerto Rico to Federal 
             agriculture 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. INCREASING THE ACCESS OF SMALL FARMERS IN PUERTO RICO WHO 
              GROW SPECIALTY CROPS TO FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL LOAN 
              PROGRAMS.

    The Secretary of Agriculture, through the Office of Advocacy and 
Outreach, shall increase the access of small farmers who grow specialty 
crops (as defined in section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness 
Act of 2004) in Puerto Rico to loans under the following programs:
            (1) All microloan programs under the Consolidated Farm and 
        Rural Development Act.
            (2) All programs for socially disadvantaged farmers and 
        ranchers under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
            (3) All programs for beginning farmers under the 
        Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
            (4) The emergency loan program under subtitle C of the 
        Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.

SEC. 2. SMALL FARMING ON FEDERAL LANDS.

    The Secretary of the Interior shall develop a program to allow 
small farmers to farm on Federal land in Puerto Rico if the Secretary 
determines that--
            (1) the Federal land is not environmentally sensitive;
            (2) farming on the Federal land will not harm endangered 
        native species or natural habitats; and
            (3) the Federal land is suitable for such farming.

SEC. 3. SMALL FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Director of the 
Office of Advocacy and Outreach, shall carry out a training program to 
teach best farming practices to small farmers in Puerto Rico.
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