H.R. 4201 · 115th Congress
Young and Beginning Farmers Act
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 115th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
MaloneySponsor3 cosponsors · 2 D, 1 R
1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill amends various agricultural laws to modify and establish programs to assist beginning farmers.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Nov 1, 2017
Young and Beginning Farmers Act
This bill amends various agricultural laws to modify and establish programs to assist beginning farmers.
The bill makes land trusts eligible for certain assistance under the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. In administering the program, USDA must prioritize an application for purchasing an easement that maintains agricultural viability, requires subsequent purchases to be at agricultural value, or both.
The bill modifies several agricultural programs to:
- require the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to prequalify loan applicants,
- increase and index for inflation the limits on the amounts of USDA farm ownership loans,
- transfer jurisdiction of the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers to the FSA,
- establish an online customer self-service portal,
- reauthorize the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program with increased mandatory funding and allow specified funds to be transferred for individual development accounts,
- reauthorize the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Individual Development Accounts Pilot Program,
- reauthorize the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program with increased mandatory funding, and
- authorize grants for farm viability programs.
The FSA must assign state coordinators to promote communication with beginning farmers or ranchers and increase their access to USDA programs.
The General Services Administration may sell surplus farm equipment or property to socially disadvantaged, veteran, or beginning farmers and ranchers.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Young and Beginning Farmers Act
Latest action (Nov 1, 2017): Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
Policy area: Agriculture and Food · Origin: House · Introduced: Nov 1, 2017
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.