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

Bill: 115-hr-5450
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]
Introduced: 2018-04-10
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural education

Farmland

Government lending and loan guarantees

Land use and conservation

Puerto Rico
Latest action: action_date: 2018-04-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-04-10
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5450 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.

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. 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. 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.