Title: Urban Agriculture Production Act of 2017
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Urban Agriculture Production Act of 2017
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish an urban agriculture outreach program to award grants for: (1) infrastructure; (2) land acquisition, land conversion, and soil and growing mechanism assistance; (3) education and training; (4) technical and financial assistance to farmers, producers, or ranchers in urban areas; and (5) other activities that support urban agriculture. USDA must give preference to grants for activities in historically underserved communities.
USDA must establish the position of Urban Agricultural Liaison.
USDA must award grants for scientific and community-based participatory research related to urban agriculture. The bill provides specified funds for the grants and requires USDA to give priority to outreach activities to be carried out in historically underserved communities.
The bill amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to: (1) establish a program to provide loans and loan guarantees for projects or activities to establish, expand, and promote direct producer-to-consumer marketing and assist in the development of local food business enterprises; and (2) extend and provide additional funding for the Farmers' Market Promotion Program.
The bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program and provide additional funding.
The bill amends the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 to require additional USDA reporting on farmers' markets and agricultural production in urban areas.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3699 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3699

 To promote and enhance urban agricultural production and agricultural 
            research in urban areas, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 7, 2017

 Ms. Kaptur (for herself, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Lee, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore, 
Mr. Jeffries, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. 
Evans, and Ms. Adams) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                    to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To promote and enhance urban agricultural production and agricultural 
            research in urban areas, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Urban Agriculture 
Production Act of 2017''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Urban agriculture outreach program.
Sec. 5. Urban agriculture liaison.
Sec. 6. Urban agriculture research initiative.
Sec. 7. Agriculture programs.
Sec. 8. Improving agricultural reporting.
Sec. 9. Study and report.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
            (2) Urban agriculture.--The term ``urban agriculture'' 
        means the production of food and non-food plants and animal 
        husbandry in an urban area and may include household, school, 
        and community gardens, food bank production sites, urban farms, 
        hoop houses, chicken coops and beehives, aquaculture, 
        hydroponics and aquaponics facilities, and rooftop, vertical, 
        and indoor farms.
            (3) Urban area.--The term ``urban area'' means an area 
        within a Metropolitan Statistical Area (as defined by the 
        Office of Management and Budget).

SEC. 3. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Dramatic economic, demographic, and land use changes 
        have created pockets of land suitable for urban agriculture.
            (2) The United States population is increasing at a rate of 
        0.69 percent annually, and by 2050 it is expected that the 
        United States population will increase to 398 million.
            (3) Despite the United States being an advanced economy, 
        many neighborhoods and communities are categorically food and 
        nutrient short populations.
            (4) Advances in agricultural practices, technologies, and 
        natural resources make production agriculture possible in 
        previously ignored locations including urban areas that were 
        once cordoned off from agricultural production.
            (5) There is a disconnect between daily urban life, health 
        outcomes, and food production that urban agriculture can help 
        address.
            (6) According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, 
        approximately 7 percent of all farms in the United States had 
        direct sales of agricultural products totaling at least 
        $1,300,000,000, with the highest of such sales coming from 
        farms in metropolitan counties or in adjacent rural counties.
            (7) It is imperative to ensure that advances in urban 
        agriculture be available as a viable option to help meet the 
        food production needs of the future and to address chronic food 
        and nutrition shortages of communities.

SEC. 4. URBAN AGRICULTURE OUTREACH PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary shall establish an urban 
agriculture outreach program under which the Secretary shall award 
grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to support outreach 
activities for any of the following:
            (1) Infrastructure, including production and distribution 
        systems, to support urban agriculture.
            (2) Land acquisition, land conversion, and soil and growing 
        mechanism assistance to support urban agriculture, including in 
        and around brownfields, vacant lots, or other underutilized 
        tracts of land.
            (3) Education and training to enhance urban agriculture.
            (4) Technical and financial assistance to farmers, 
        producers, or ranchers in urban areas for--
                    (A) the aggregation of the farmers', producers', or 
                ranchers' products and supplies for purposes of 
                transportation to market; and
                    (B) managing urban agriculture farm operations in 
                accordance with local laws and practices.
            (5) Other activities that support urban agriculture, as 
        determined by the Secretary.
    (b) Grant Requirements.--
            (1) Grant term.--The term of a grant awarded under this 
        section shall be not less than one year.
            (2) Extension of grant term.--A grant awarded under this 
        section may be extended at the discretion of the Secretary.
            (3) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
        technical assistance to eligible entities that are awarded a 
        grant under this section.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give a preference to an eligible entity seeking a grant for 
outreach activities to be carried out in a historically underserved 
community.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a community organization with experience in 
                urban agriculture;
                    (B) a nonprofit or charitable organization;
                    (C) a historically underserved community;
                    (D) a local governmental entity or local park 
                system;
                    (E) a local educational agency (as defined in 
                section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
                    (F) an institution of higher education (as defined 
                in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))); or
                    (G) any other entity as determined appropriate by 
                the Secretary.
            (2) Historically underserved farmers, producers, or 
        ranchers.--The term ``historically underserved farmers, 
        producers, or ranchers'' means farmers, producers, or ranchers 
        who engage in urban agriculture and who are--
                    (A) beginning farmers, producers, or ranchers;
                    (B) limited resource beginning farmers, producers, 
                or ranchers (as defined by the Secretary); or
                    (C) socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers (as 
                such term is defined in section 2501(e) of the Food, 
                Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
                U.S.C. 2279(e))).
            (3) Historically underserved community.--The term 
        ``historically underserved community'' means a community--
                    (A) comprised of at-risk populations (as defined by 
                the Secretary), such as historically underserved 
                farmers, producers, or ranchers, the economically 
                disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the 
                uninsured, low-income children, the elderly, the 
                homeless, and individuals with chronic health 
                conditions, including severe mental illness;
                    (B) with a high rate of obesity and obesity-related 
                disease; or
                    (C) with few or no grocery stores or other retail 
                food establishments.
            (4) Underutilized tract of land.--The term ``underutilized 
        tract of land'' means a tract of land that is not utilized 
        fully (as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the 
        Governor of the State involved and the local governmental 
        entity involved), including a tract of land--
                    (A) that is undeveloped, or where only a percentage 
                of the land is developed;
                    (B) in the case of public land, land with low or 
                decreasing public use; or
                    (C) with unused recreation facilities.
            (5) Vacant lot.--The term ``vacant lot'' means a tract of 
        land without buildings.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2018 
and each fiscal year thereafter.

SEC. 5. URBAN AGRICULTURE LIAISON.

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish in 
the Department of Agriculture the position of Urban Agricultural 
Liaison.
    (b) Duties.--The Urban Agricultural Liaison shall--
            (1) establish and administer the urban agriculture outreach 
        program established under section 4;
            (2) establish and administer an information clearinghouse 
        on urban agriculture;
            (3) consult with public and private groups, including 
        research institutions and urban botanical gardens, on how to 
        enhance urban agriculture;
            (4) provide technical assistance to urban farmers, 
        producers, and ranchers to assist such farmers, producers, and 
        ranchers--
                    (A) in identifying appropriate land, space, or 
                buildings for lease or purchase;
                    (B) in preparing loan applications, identifying 
                appropriate funding sources, and by connecting such 
                farmers, producers, and ranchers with loan officers and 
                other appropriate personnel;
                    (C) in connecting to the network of farmers' 
                markets throughout the United States;
                    (D) in forming partnerships with grocers;
                    (E) in diversifying the marketing plans of the 
                farmers', producers', or ranchers' products by 
                encouraging the formation of community-supported 
                agriculture groups and direct wholesale opportunities;
                    (F) in using unconventional farming practices, such 
                as greenhouses, raised beds, hydroponics, aeroponics, 
                aquaculture, vertical farming, and hoop houses;
                    (G) in understanding and applying plant science, 
                soil science, engineering, material and energy science, 
                and computer control systems;
                    (H) by providing for business development 
                (including businesses engaged in processing food), 
                organizing appropriate structure, and management 
                activities, including professional development 
                activities;
                    (I) with understanding and navigating municipal 
                laws, regulations, ordinances, and policies with 
                respect to obtaining permits, zoning, water access, 
                licences, and registration, and with registering the 
                farming business of such farmers, producers, or 
                ranchers and satisfying any legal requirements 
                applicable to such registration; and
                    (J) in establishing relationships with a wide range 
                of field partners and in finding resources to assist 
                such farmers, producers, or ranchers achieve efficient 
                and viable food production;
            (5) provide information to urban farmers, producers, and 
        ranchers about, and connect urban farmers, producers, and 
        ranchers with, beginning farmer training and agricultural 
        vocational and rehabilitation programs;
            (6) provide information to urban farmers, producers, and 
        ranchers concerning the availability of, and eligibility 
        requirements for, participation in agricultural programs, with 
        particular emphasis on beginning farmer and rancher programs;
            (7) serve as a resource for assisting urban farmers, 
        producers, and ranchers, and potential urban farmers, 
        producers, and ranchers, in applying for participation in 
        agricultural programs; and
            (8) advocate on behalf of urban farmers, producers, and 
        ranchers in interactions with employees of the Department of 
        Agriculture.
    (c) Contracts and Cooperative Agreements.--For purposes of carrying 
out the duties under subsection (b), the Urban Agricultural Liaison may 
enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with research centers of 
the Agricultural Research Service, institutions of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001)), or nonprofit organizations to--
            (1) conduct regional research on the profitability of small 
        farms;
            (2) develop educational materials;
            (3) conduct workshops, courses, and certified vocational 
        training;
            (4) conduct mentoring activities; or
            (5) provide internship opportunities.

SEC. 6. URBAN AGRICULTURE RESEARCH INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive 
basis, for scientific and community-based participatory research on--
            (1) promoting and enhancing urban agriculture;
            (2) improving production efficiency and profitability of 
        urban agriculture production;
            (3) marketing urban agriculture innovations and 
        technologies;
            (4) methods to protect crops and agricultural products in 
        urban areas from pests and disease;
            (5) methods to enhance food safety related to urban 
        agriculture production;
            (6) methods to encourage advancements in material and 
        energy science and engineering; and
            (7) other research areas the Secretary determines are 
        appropriate.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give a preference to an eligible entity seeking a grant for 
outreach activities to be carried out in a historically underserved 
community (as such term is defined in section 4(d)).
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, 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, and make publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Agriculture, a report 
summarizing the research conducted under subsection (a).
    (d) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the 
Secretary shall make available to carry out this section $20,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.

SEC. 7. AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS.

    (a) Farmers' Market Loan and Loan Guarantees.--The Farmer-to-
Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 7 as section 8; and
            (2) by inserting after section 6 the following new section:

``SEC. 7. FARMERS' MARKET LOANS AND LOAN GUARANTEES.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, shall carry out a program to 
make loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities for projects or 
activities to establish, expand, and promote direct producer-to-
consumer marketing and assist in the development of local food business 
enterprises by such entities, including--
            ``(1) projects for the construction of new farmers' 
        markets;
            ``(2) projects for the improvement or rehabilitation of 
        existing farmers' markets;
            ``(3) projects for the acquisition of equipment for 
        farmers' markets and other infrastructure needs;
            ``(4) projects for the purchase, acquisition, and 
        rehabilitation of land or property for use as a farmers' 
        market;
            ``(5) transportation and delivery activities;
            ``(6) activities carried out through agritourism 
        initiatives; and
            ``(7) projects, including planning and feasibility 
        initiatives for the expansion or establishment of farmers' 
        markets designed to increase sales in areas not easily 
        accessible through traditional transportation activities.
    ``(b) Program Purposes.--The purposes of the program established 
under subsection (a) are to increase domestic consumption of and access 
to locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to 
develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving 
local markets, by developing, improving, expanding, and providing 
outreach, training, and technical assistance to, or assisting in the 
development, improvement and expansion of--
            ``(1) domestic farmers' markets, roadside stands, 
        community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism 
        activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market 
        opportunities; and
            ``(2) local and regional food business enterprises 
        (including those that are not direct producer-to-consumer 
        markets) that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally 
        or regionally produced food products.
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a loan or loan 
guarantee under this section shall submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time and in such manner and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including documentation 
demonstrating the financial need of the entity.
    ``(d) Eligible Entities.--An entity shall be eligible to receive a 
loan or loan guarantee under this section if the entity is--
            ``(1) an agricultural cooperative or other agricultural 
        business entity or a producer network or association, including 
        a community supported agriculture network or association;
            ``(2) a local government;
            ``(3) a nonprofit corporation;
            ``(4) a public benefit corporation;
            ``(5) an economic development corporation;
            ``(6) a regional farmers' market authority; or
            ``(7) such other entity as the Secretary may designate.
    ``(e) Criteria and Guidelines.--The Secretary shall establish 
criteria and guidelines for the submission, evaluation, and funding of 
proposed projects under this section.
    ``(f) Priorities.--In providing loans or loan guarantees under this 
section, priority shall be given to applications that include projects 
or activities that benefit underserved communities, including 
communities that--
            ``(1) are located in--
                    ``(A) an urban area (as defined in section 2 of the 
                Urban Agriculture Production Act of 2017); or
                    ``(B) an area of concentrated poverty with limited 
                access to fresh locally or regionally grown foods; and
            ``(2) have not received benefits pursuant to a loan or loan 
        guarantee in the recent past.
    ``(g) Loan Interest Rate; Duration.--
            ``(1) Interest rate.--The interest rate on a loan under 
        this section (other than a loan guarantee under this section) 
        shall be as determined by the Secretary, acting through the 
        Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, but not less than 
        such rate as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury taking 
        into consideration the current average market yield on 
        outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with 
        remaining periods to maturity comparable to the maturities of 
        such loan, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury on 
        the date the loan is made.
            ``(2) Duration.--The interest rate for each loan under this 
        section shall remain in effect for the term of the loan.
    ``(h) Condition.--As a condition of receiving a loan or loan 
guarantee under this section, a recipient of such a loan or loan 
guarantee shall certify that the recipient will reserve, for the sale 
of locally produced food products (as determined by the Secretary) 
produced by farmers, producers, ranchers, or aquaculture, mariculture, 
or fisheries operators, or by associations of farmers, producers, 
ranchers, or those operators, not less than 50 percent of the floor 
area of a farmers' market--
            ``(1) that is operated or facilitated by the recipient; and
            ``(2) with respect to which loan funds will be used.
    ``(i) Funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, 
the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each 
of fiscal years 2018 through 2022.''.
    (b) Extension of Funding for Farmers' Market Promotion Program.--
Subsection (g) of section 6 of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing 
Act of 1976 (7 U.S.C. 3005) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``2018.'' and 
                inserting ``2017; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(E) $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
                through 2022.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in the heading, by inserting ``technical 
                assistance and'' before ``administrative expenses''; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting ``to provide technical assistance 
                or'' before ``for administrative expenses''.
    (c) Extension of, Expansion of, and Additional Funding for, Seniors 
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.--
            (1) Extension of program.--Section 4402(a) of the Farm 
        Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007(a)) is 
        amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Funding.--
            ``(1) Mandatory funding.--Of the funds of the Commodity 
        Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry 
        out and expand a seniors and veterans farmers' market nutrition 
        program at least $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 
        through 2022.
            ``(2) Discretionary funding.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of 
        fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
            ``(3) Use of funds.--Of the funds made available to carry 
        out this section for a fiscal year--
                    ``(A) 70 percent of the funds shall be used for the 
                benefit of program recipients who are low-income 
                seniors; and
                    ``(B) 30 percent of the funds shall be used for the 
                benefit of program recipients who are low-income 
                veterans.''.
            (2) Purposes.--Section 4402(b)(1) of the Farm Security and 
        Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007(b)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``, minimally processed'' after 
                ``unprepared''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``and low-income veterans'' after 
                ``low-income seniors''.
            (3) Administrative costs; unexpended funds.--Section 4402 
        of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 
        3007) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Unexpended Funds.--To the extent the funds made available 
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year are not expended in that fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall use such funds in a subsequent fiscal year 
for the same purpose.
    ``(h) Priorities.--In providing funds made available under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to farmers' markets that 
have an operational seniors and veterans farmers' market program and to 
seniors and veterans farmers' market programs in historically 
underserved communities as defined in section 4(d) of the Urban 
Agriculture Production Act of 2017.
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Low income.--The term `low income' shall have the 
        meaning determined by the Secretary and shall be applied 
        equally with respect to seniors and veterans.
            ``(2) Minimally processed.--The term `minimally processed' 
        means, with respect to a product, processing that does not 
        fundamentally alter such product.
            ``(3) Veteran.--The term `veteran' means an individual who 
        has served in the Armed Forces (as defined in section 101(10) 
        of title 38, United States Code).''.
            (4) Expansion to include veterans.--Section 4402 of the 
        Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007) 
        is amended by inserting ``and veterans'' after ``seniors'' each 
        place it appears in the section heading and in subsections (b), 
        (c), (d), and (f).
    (d) Community Food Projects.--Section 25 of the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2034) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a)(1) to read as follows:
            ``(1) Community food project.--The term `community food 
        project' means a community-based project that is designed--
                    ``(A) to--
                            ``(i) meet the food needs of low-income 
                        individuals through food distribution, 
                        community outreach to assist in participation 
                        in nutrition programs that receive Federal 
                        funding, or improving access to food as part of 
                        a comprehensive service;
                            ``(ii) increase the self-reliance of 
                        communities in providing for the food needs of 
                        the communities; and
                            ``(iii) promote comprehensive responses to 
                        local food, food access, farm, and nutrition 
                        issues; or
                    ``(B) to meet specific State, local, or 
                neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including 
                needs relating to--
                            ``(i) equipment necessary for the efficient 
                        operation of a project;
                            ``(ii) planning for long-term solutions; or
                            ``(iii) the creation of innovative 
                        marketing activities that mutually benefit 
                        agricultural producers and low-income 
                        consumers.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(C), by striking ``$9,000,000'' and 
        inserting ``$10,000,000''.
    (e) Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program.--With 
respect to the community facilities direct loan and grant program, the 
Secretary shall include urban farmers, producers, or ranchers as 
eligible entities for purposes of--
            (1) loans under subpart A of part 1942 of title 7, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and
            (2) grants under subpart B of part 3570 of title 7, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.

SEC. 8. IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL REPORTING.

    (a) Evaluation of Farmers' Markets in Census of Agriculture.--
Section 2(a) of the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 (7 U.S.C. 
2204g(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Inclusion of farmers' markets.--Effective beginning 
        with the first census of agriculture conducted after the date 
        of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall include 
        as part of each census of agriculture--
                    ``(A) an evaluation of the state of farmers' 
                markets in the United States, including information 
                regarding the size, location, operational capacity, and 
                geographic dispersion of farmers' markets and types of 
                food products sold (both in terms of product diversity 
                and sales locations) through farmers' markets; and
                    ``(B) an analysis of the economic impact of 
                farmers' markets, including the success of Federal 
                programs in promoting and supporting farmers' 
                markets.''.
    (b) Coordinated Annual Report on Farmers' Markets.--Beginning on 
the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress and 
publish on the website of the Department of Agriculture a report on the 
status of farmers' markets in the United States. Such report shall 
include with respect to farmers' markets in the United States for each 
year, the following information:
            (1) The number of farmers' markets.
            (2) The number of farmers' markets established during such 
        year except that for the first year a report is submitted under 
        this section, the report shall include the number of farmers' 
        markets for the five years immediately preceding the first 
        reporting year.
            (3) The economic value of an average farmers' market.
            (4) The type of governmental assistance provided to 
        farmers' markets.
            (5) The products that are typically sold at farmers' 
        markets.
            (6) The number of farmers' markets that accept as a form of 
        payment benefits distributed through--
                    (A) the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
                U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
                    (B) the seniors farmers' market nutrition program 
                established under section 4402 of the Farm Security and 
                Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007);
                    (C) the special supplemental nutrition program for 
                women, infants, and children established under section 
                17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786); 
                and
                    (D) any other Federal or State nutrition assistance 
                program as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
            (7) The methods through which farmers' markets process the 
        forms of payment described in paragraph (6).
            (8) The average income of a farmers' market operator.
            (9) The average profit of a farmers' market operator.
            (10) The average expenses incurred by a farmers' market 
        operator.
            (11) Other occupations of operators of farmers' markets.
            (12) The percentage of food sold or offered for sale at 
        farmers' markets that is locally produced.
            (13) Any other information related to farmers' markets in 
        the United States that the Secretary determines is important to 
        promote and enhance the use of farmers' markets in the United 
        States.
    (c) Report on Status of Agricultural Production in and Around Urban 
Areas.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act and not later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress (and make 
such report publicly available electronically) on the status of urban 
agriculture. The report shall include--
            (1) with respect to urban agriculture, information on--
                    (A) the percentage and economic value of urban 
                agriculture production;
                    (B) the most popular type of agricultural activity 
                in which individuals are engaged in such production;
                    (C) the most recent best practices for such 
                production;
                    (D) the type of agricultural products marketed and 
                sold through such production; and
                    (E) the progress made toward strengthening local 
                food systems in carrying out such production;
            (2) an analysis of local government regulations, including 
        zoning, that have supported or could support sustainable urban 
        agriculture; and
            (3) recommendations on how to further urban agriculture.
    (d) Performance Goals.--The Secretary shall incorporate promoting 
and enhancing urban agriculture into the Department of Agriculture 
performance goals established in the agency performance plan under 
section 1115 of title 31, United States Code, and updated in accordance 
with section 1116 of such title.

SEC. 9. STUDY AND REPORT.

    (a) Study.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of Energy shall enter into 
an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study 
of technologies to advance urban agricultural including technologies 
that increase input efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure food safety.
    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the completion of the 
study required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit a 
report to Congress summarizing the findings of such study.
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