Local School Foods Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-1720
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2013-04-24
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Education programs funding

Elementary and secondary education

Food assistance and relief

Fruit and vegetables

Poverty and welfare assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2013-07-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-04-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Local School Foods Act of 2013 - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a pilot program under which the Secretary will give up to five participating states the option of receiving a grant in an amount equal to the value of the USDA-provided commodities that the participating state would otherwise receive for each of FY2014-FY2018.</p> <p>States that a grant shall be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service institutions that participate in the food service programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1720 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 24, 2013 Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Gibson , Ms. Pingree of Maine , and Mr. DesJarlais ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce , and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture , 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 conduct a pilot program in support of efforts to increase the amount of purchases of local fresh fruits and vegetables for schools and service institutions by giving certain States the option of receiving a grant from the Secretary of Agriculture for that purpose instead of obtaining commodities under Department of Agriculture programs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local School Foods Act of 2013 . 2. Additional authority for purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other specialty food crops Section 10603 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 ( 7 U.S.C. 612c–4 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), by striking 2012 and inserting 2017 ; (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection: (c) Pilot grant program for purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables (1) In general Using amounts made available to carry out subsection (b), the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a pilot program under which the Secretary will give not more than five participating States the option of receiving a grant in an amount equal to the value of the commodities that the participating State would otherwise receive under this section for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018. (2) Use of grant funds A participating State receiving a grant under this subsection may use the grant funds solely to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service institutions in the State that participate in the food service programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. ) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq. ). To the maximum extent practicable, the fruits and vegetables shall be locally grown, as determined by the State. (3) Selection of participating States The Secretary shall select participating States from applications submitted by the States. (4) Reporting requirements (A) School and service institution requirement Schools and service institutions in a participating State shall keep records of purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables made using the grant funds and report such records to the State. (B) State requirement Each participating State shall submit to the Secretary a report on the success of the pilot program in the State, including information on— (i) the amount and value of each type of fresh fruit and vegetable purchased by the State; and (ii) the benefit provided by such purchases in conducting the school food service in the State, including meeting school meal requirements. .