To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.
Agricultural Act of 2014 - Title I: Commodities - Subtitle A: Repeals and Reforms - Part I: Repeals - (Sec. 1101) Repeals: (1) direct payments under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; and (2) countercyclical payments and the average crop revenue election program (ACRE) under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Continues countercyclical payments and ACRE, however, for crop year 2013.
Part II: Commodity Policy - (Sec. 1111) Includes peanuts as a covered commodity.
(Sec. 1112) Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) (the Secretary in this bill unless otherwise indicated) to notify farm owners regarding their opportunity to elect to:
Deems a non-electing farm owner to have elected to retain base acres, including generic acres.
Applies such election, or deemed election, to all covered commodities on a farm.
Sets forth the reallocation formula.Directs the Secretary to provide for a farm's base acreage adjustment for covered commodities if: (1) a conservation reserve contract expires or is voluntarily terminated, (2) cropland is released from conservation reserve contract coverage, or (3) the producer has eligible oilseed acreage.
Requires a farm owner, for the crop year in which a base acres adjustment is first made, to elect to receive either price loss coverage (PLC) or agriculture risk coverage (ARC) for the acreage added to the farm, or a prorated payment under the conservation reserve contract.
Requires the Secretary to reduce the base acres for one or more covered commodities on a farm if the sum of the base acres and certain other conservation and oilseed acreage exceeds the farm's actual cropland acreage. Exempts double-cropped acreage from such requirement. Permits the farm owner to select the base acres to be reduced.
Authorizes a farm owner to reduce the base acres for any covered commodity, whose reduction shall be permanent.
Directs the Secretary to reduce a farm's base acres for land that has been subdivided and developed for multiple residential units or other nonfarming uses if the size of the tracts and the density of the subdivision is such that the land is unlikely to return to the previous agricultural use, unless it: (1) remains devoted to commercial agricultural production, or (2) is likely to be returned to the previous agricultural use.
(Sec. 1113) Directs the Secretary to establish a yield for each farm for any designated oilseed for which a payment yield was not established.
Sets forth payment yield determination requirements, including the use of county average yields.
Grants a farm owner a one-time opportunity to update, on a commodity-by-commodity basis, the payment yield used in calculating the price loss coverage payment for each covered commodity for which the election is made.
(Sec. 1114) Declares that the payment acres:
Requires reduction of payment acres in any crop year in which fruits, vegetables (other than mung beans and pulse crops), or wild rice have been planted on base acres.
Prohibits PLC or ARC payments to a producer whose farm's base acres is 10 acres or less unless the producer is a socially disadvantaged or limited resource farmer or rancher.
Prohibits payment acre reductions if:
(Sec. 1115) Requires all producers on a farm to make a one-time, irrevocable election for crop years 2014-2018 to obtain:
Declares that if all producers on a farm fail to make a unanimous election for crop year 2014:
Directs the Secretary to ensure that producers on a farm do not reconstitute the farm to void or change an election or selection made under this section.
(Sec. 1116) Directs the Secretary to make PLC payments to producers on a farm on a commodity-by-commodity basis if for any of crop years 2014-2018 the covered commodity's effective price is less than its reference price.
Sets forth effective price, payment rate, and payment amount requirements.
(Sec. 1117) Directs the Secretary to make ARC payments to producers on a farm on a covered commodity-by-covered-commodity basis if for any of crop years 2014-2018 the actual crop revenue is less than the ARC guarantee.
Sets forth actual crop revenue requirements for county and individual coverages.
Sets the agriculture risk coverage guarantee for a crop year for a covered commodity at 86% of the benchmark revenue.
Sets forth requirements regarding: (1) benchmark revenue for county and individual coverages, and (2) payment rate and payment amounts.
(Sec. 1118) Requires producers to comply with specified conservation requirements in order to qualify for payments under this subtitle.
Requires termination of payments upon a change in the interest of the producer unless the transferee assumes such obligations.
Directs the Secretary provide adequate safeguards for tenants and sharecroppers.
(Sec. 1119) Directs the Secretary to provide transition assistance to producers for the 2014 crop of upland cotton on a farm for which cotton base acres were in existence for crop year 2013.
Directs the Secretary to provide transition assistance to producers for the 2015 crop of upland cotton on a farm:
Prescribes requirements for transition assistance rate, transition assistance amounts, and payment limitations.
Subtitle B: Marketing Loans - (Sec. 1201) Defines "loan commodity" as wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, extra long staple cotton, long grain rice, medium grain rice, peanuts, soybeans, other oilseeds, graded wool, nongraded wool, mohair, honey, dry peas, lentils, small chickpeas, and large chickpeas.
Authorizes nonrecourse marketing assistance loans for loan commodities through crop year 2018, with special rules for peanuts.
Requires compliance with specified conservation and wetland requirements.
(Sec. 1202) Authorizes nonrecourse marketing assistance loans through crop year 2018 for:
Establishes a single loan rate in each county for each kind of other oilseed.
(Sec. 1203) Establishes a nine-month marketing assistance loan term, with extensions prohibited.
(Sec. 1204) Authorizes producers to repay a marketing assistance loan for a commodity (other than upland cotton, long grain rice, medium grain rice, extra long staple cotton, peanuts and confectionery and each other kind of non-oil sunflower seed) at a rate that is the lesser of:
Authorizes producers to repay a marketing assistance loan for upland cotton, long grain rice, and medium grain rice at a rate that is the lesser of: (1) the loan rate established for the commodity plus interest, or (2) the prevailing world market price for the commodity.
Authorizes producers to repay a marketing assistance loan for extra long staple cotton at a rate established for the commodity plus interest.
Directs the Secretary to prescribe formulas to determine the prevailing world market price for upland cotton, long grain rice, and medium grain rice.
Directs the Secretary to adjust prevailing world market prices for upland cotton, long grain rice, and medium grain rice to U.S. quality and location.
Authorizes producers to repay a marketing assistance loan for confectionery and each other kind of non-oil sunflower seed at a rate that is the lesser of: (1) the loan rate established for the commodity plus interest, or (2) the repayment rate for oil sunflower seed.
Directs the Secretary to make cotton storage payments for the 2014-2018 crop years in the same manner and at the same rates as made available for the 2006 crop of cotton, except with the rates reduced by 10%.
Authorizes producers to repay a marketing assistance loan for peanuts at a rate that is the lesser of:
Authorizes temporary repayment rate adjustments in the event of severe marketing, transportation, or infrastructure disruptions.
(Sec. 1205) Authorizes the Secretary to make loan deficiency payments to:
Establishes the loan deficiency payment computation as the payment rate for the commodity multiplied by the quantity of the commodity produced.
Sets forth payment rate computations for unshorn pelts and for hay and silage.
Excludes extra long staple cotton from loan deficiency payments.
(Sec. 1206) Directs the Secretary to make payments in lieu of deficiency payments to producers electing to use wheat, barley, or oat acreage for livestock grazing through crop year 2018.
Makes payments through crop year 2018 available to producers of triticale acreage used for grazing if such producers forgo any other triticale harvesting on such acreage.
Makes such acreage ineligible for crop insurance indemnity or non-insured crop assistance coverage.
(Sec. 1207) Directs the President to carry out a special import quota program for upland cotton beginning on August 1, 2014, and a limited global import quota program for it based upon specified price conditions.
Directs the Secretary to make monthly adjustment assistance payments of 3 cents per pound beginning on August 1, 2013, to domestic users of upland cotton during the previous monthly period regardless of the cotton's origin. Requires that such assistance be used for acquisition, construction, installation, modernization, conversion, or expansion of land, plant, buildings, equipment, facilities, or machinery.
(Sec. 1208) Directs the Secretary to make payments through July 31, 2019, to domestic users and exporters of U.S.-produced extra long staple cotton to expand its domestic use and exports. Requires payments to be made when:
(Sec. 1209) Makes recourse loans available through crop year 2018 for: (1) high moisture feed grains (corn and grain sorghum with high moisture content), and (2) seed cotton.
(Sec. 1210) Authorizes the Secretary to make loan rate adjustments for: (1) any loan commodity (other than cotton) for differences in grade, type, quality, and location; (2) cotton for differences in quality; and (3) long grain rice and medium grain rice for differences in grade and quality.
Subtitle C: Sugar - (Sec. 1301) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to direct the Secretary to make nonrecourse loans through crop year 2018 to processors of domestically grown sugarcane at $0.1875 per pound and sugar beets at $0.2409 per pound.
Directs the Secretary to make sugarcane and sugar beet quantity estimates through crop year 2018 for: (1) human consumption, (2) carryover stocks, (3) carry-in stocks, (4) domestic processing, and (5) imports.
Subtitle D: Dairy - Part I: Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers - (Sec. 1402) Directs the Secretary to calculate: (1) the national average feed cost for each month using specified data, and (2) the actual dairy production margin for each consecutive two-month period by subtracting the average feed cost from the all-milk price.
(Sec. 1403) Directs the Secretary to establish a margin protection program by September 1, 2014, under which participating dairy operations are paid a margin protection payment when actual dairy production margins are less than specified threshold levels.
(Sec. 1404) Makes all participating dairy producers eligible to participate in the margin protection program.
States that if:
Establishes an annual $100 program fee.
States that a dairy operation may participate in either the margin protection program or the livestock gross margin for dairy program (under the Federal Crop Insurance Act).
(Sec. 1405) Establishes a participating dairy operation's production history as its highest annual milk marketings during any one of 2011, 2012, or 2013.
Establishes the production history for a participating dairy operation that has been in operation for less than a year as either:
(Sec. 1406) Provides a participating dairy operation with a margin protection payment whenever the average actual dairy production margin for a consecutive two-month period is less than the coverage level threshold selected by the participating dairy operation.
(Sec. 1407) Sets forth program premium requirements.
(Sec. 1408) States that a participating dairy operation that fails to pay the annual administrative fee or is in arrears on premium payments: (1) remains legally obligated to pay the fee or premiums, and (2) may not receive margin protection payments until they are paid.
(Sec. 1409) Terminates the program on December 31, 2018.
Part II: Repeal or Reauthorization of Other Dairy-Related requirements - (Sec. 1421) Repeals: (1) the dairy products price support program, (2) the dairy export incentive program, and (3) the Federal Milk Marketing Order Review Commission.
(Sec. 1422) Terminates the milk income loss contract program on the earlier of: (1) the date that the margin protection program becomes operational, or (2) September 1, 2014.
(Sec. 1424) Extends through FY2018: (1) the dairy forward pricing program, (2) the dairy indemnity program, and (3) the dairy promotion and research program.
Part III: Dairy Product Donation Program - (Sec. 1431) Directs the Secretary to establish a dairy product donation program to:
Requires dairy product program purchases whenever the actual dairy production margin is $4.00/per hundredweight of milk or less for each of the immediately preceding 2 months.
Sets forth program termination criteria.
Directs the Secretary to utilize public and private nonprofit organizations to distribute such products.
Terminates the program on December 31, 2018.
Subtitle E: Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Programs - (Sec. 1501) Prescribes livestock indemnity payments to eligible producers on farms that have incurred excess livestock death losses due to: (1) attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, or (2) adverse weather.
Sets the payment rate at 75% of the market value of livestock.
Directs the Secretary to pay compensation under a livestock forage disaster program to eligible livestock producers for grazing losses caused by drought on land that is: (1) native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover, or (2) planted to a crop planted for the purpose of providing grazing for covered livestock.
Allows compensation to eligible livestock producers for grazing losses caused by fire on land that is: (1) federally-managed rangeland, and (2) on which the producer is prohibited by a federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock due to fire.
Sets forth payment rates for drought- and fire-caused grazing losses.
Prohibits duplicative payments.
Requires the Secrtary to pay emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish to aid in the reduction of losses due to disease (including cattle tick fever), adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires.
Requires payment of tree assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers that:
Limits assistance to those producers only with a tree mortality rate in excess of 15%, and for not more than 500 acres.
Caps tree assistance payments to a person or legal entity (excluding joint ventures or general partnerships) for any crop year at $125,000 or an equivalent value in tree seedlings.
Sets forth payment requirements.
Subtitle F: Administration - (Sec. 1601) Directs the Secretary to use Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds, facilities, and authorities to carry out this title.
(Sec. 1602) Suspends permanent price support authority under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 and the Agricultural Act of 1949 for covered commodities, cotton, and sugar through crop year 2018, and for milk through December 31, 2018.
Suspends certain quota requirements for the 2014-2018 wheat crops.
(Sec. 1603) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to set agriculture risk coverage, price loss coverage, marketing loan gains, and loan deficiency payments for:
(Sec. 1604) Directs the Secretary by regulation to define "significant contribution of active personal management " for purposes of agriculture risk coverage, price loss coverage, marketing loan gains, and loan deficiency payments eligibility. Exempts family farms from such regulations.
(Sec. 1605) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to prohibit a person or legal entity from receiving specified agricultural benefits during a crop, fiscal, or program year if the average adjusted gross income of such person or entity exceeds $900,000.
(Sec. 1606) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to extend specified direct reimbursement payments for geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
(Sec. 1607) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to extend to loans made under this title the personal liability protection for a deficiency arising from the sale of collateral securing any nonrecourse loan.
(Sec. 1608) Directs the Secretary to: (1) reconcile with the Social Security Administration (SSA) at least twice each year the Social Security numbers of all individuals who receive benefits under this title to determine if the individuals are alive, and (2) preclude the issuance of payments to, and on behalf of, deceased individuals not eligible for payments.
(Sec. 1609) Makes specified technical corrections to to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
(Sec. 1610) Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to extend and revise certain administrative and appeals requirements regarding the USDA National Appeals Division.
(Sec. 1611) Requires that assignment of certain conservation and environmental payments be done in accordance with USDA regulations.
(Sec. 1612) Authorizes the Secretary to track the benefits provided to individuals and entities under titles I and II of this Act.
(Sec. 1613) Prohibits the Secretary, in carrying out this title and title II, from determining subsequently that a previously approved document is inadequate or invalid because of the lack of authority of any person signing the document on behalf of the applicant or any other individual, entity, general partnership, or joint venture, or because the documents relied upon were determined inadequate or invalid, unless the person signing the document knowingly falsified the evidence of signature authority or a signature.
(Sec. 1614) Directs the Secretary to maintain, for each covered commodity and upland cotton, base acres and payment yields on a farm as in effect on September 30, 2013.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) reduce administrative burdens and costs to producers by streamlining and reducing paperwork, forms, and other administrative requirements; and (2) make $100 million available to the Farm Service Agency to carry out this title. Obligates specified funds from such amount for education and web-based decision aids for farmers and ranchers.
(Sec. 1615) States that CCC funds disbursed pursuant to the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Brazil regarding a fund for technical assistance and capacity building with respect to dispute WT/DS 267 in the World Trade Organization may, upon resolution of the dispute, be used for research conducted in collaboration with USDA or with a college, university, or research foundation in the United States.
Title II: Conservation - Subtitle A: Conservation Reserve Program - (Sec. 2001) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to extend the conservation reserve program (CRP) through FY2018.
Sets forth maximum CRP acreage enrollments for FY2014- FY2018.
Makes grasslands eligible for CRP enrollment, but limits enrollment to 2 million acres at any one time during FY2014-FY2018.
Revises contract duration requirements for land devoted to hardwood trees, shelter belts, windbreaks, or wildlife corridors.
Eliminates designation of the Chesapeake Bay Region, the Great Lakes Region, and the Long Island Sound Region as watershed areas.
(Sec. 2002) Extends the farmable wetland program through FY2018. Eliminates the program's pilot program designation.
Reduces the acreage limitation from 1 million acres to 750,000 acres.
(Secs. 2003-2004) Revises and sets forth CRP duties of owners and operators and the Secretary.
(Sec. 2005) Authorizes limited incentive payments for thinning and other practices to improve the condition of land planted to trees, windbreaks, shelter belts, and wildlife corridors.
Revises rental calculation requirements.
Directs the Secretary to make annual grassland payments in an amount that is not more than 75% of the land's grazing value.
Eliminates payment-in-commodity authority. (Permits cash payments only.)
(Sec. 2006) Authorizes producers with a CRP contract in place for five or more years to terminate the contract in FY2015.
Expands the list of land that may not be subject to early termination, including farmable wetland and restored wetland as well as land:
Makes veteran farmers or ranchers eligible for the CRP transition option.
Authorizes landowners to enroll in the conservation stewardship program (CSP) and conduct CSP activities in the final year of a CRP contract.
Authorizes the Secretary to terminate or modify a CRP contract if the land is transferred into the agricultural conservation easement program.
(Sec. 2007) Repeals authority for conversion of CRP land from vegetative cover to hardwood trees or restored wetlands.
Subtitle B: Conservation Stewardship Program - (Sec. 2101) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to revise and extend the CSP through FY2018.
Includes among program changes the following:
Limits aggregate payments to a person or entity to $200,000 during FY2014-FY2018.
Subtitle C: Environmental Quality Incentives Program - (Sec. 2201) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to include wildlife habitat development among the purposes of the environmental quality incentives program.
(Sec. 2203) Extends the environmental quality incentives program through FY2018.
Eliminates the minimum one-year contract requirement.
Makes veteran farmers or ranchers eligible for increased program payments.
Increases the amount of advanced payments available for limited resource, socially disadvantaged, beginning, or veteran farmers or ranchers.
Requires that: (1) 60% of FY2014-FY2018 program funds be used for livestock production practices, and (2) 5% of such funds be used for wildlife habitat practices.
Provides payments for wildlife habitat development.
(Sec. 2206) Extends funding through FY2018 (with an aggregate $450,000 individual person/entity limit) for grants for innovative conservation approaches.
(Sec. 2207) Provides funding through FY2018 for competitive grants for innovative conservation approaches.
Permits grants to be made to facilitate: (1) on-farm conservation research and demonstration activities, and (2) pilot testing of new technologies or innovative conservation practices.
Subtitle D: Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - (Sec. 2301) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish the agricultural conservation easement program for the conservation of eligible land and natural resources through easements or other interests in land. (Combines the purposes and coordinates the functions of the wetlands reserve program, the grassland reserve program, and the farmland protection program.)
Sets forth agricultural land and wetland easement requirements.
Subtitle E: Regional Conservation Partnership Program - (Sec. 2401) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a regional conservation partnership program to:
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into a partnership agreement (to assist producers with installing and maintaining an eligible activity on eligible land) for up to 5 years, with a one-time extension for up to 12 months.
Directs the Secretary to provide financial and technical assistance to producers: (1) participating in a project with an eligible partner, or (2) seeking to implement an eligible activity on eligible land independent of an eligible partner.
Directs the Secretary to designate up to eight critical conservation areas.
Directs the Secretary to give critical conservation area priority to a geographical area that:
Provides CCC program funding for FY2014-FY2018. Reserves additional funds for FY2014-FY2018 from covered programs for such contracts.
Subtitle F: Other Conservation Programs - (Sec. 2501) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the conservation of private grazing land program.
(Sec. 2502) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the grass roots source water protection program.
Makes specified CCC funds available for the program.
(Sec. 2503) Requires CCC funding through FY2018 for the voluntary public access and habitat incentive program.
(Sec. 2504) Prohibits CRP funds from being used to carry out the agriculture conservation experienced services program.
(Sec. 2505) Amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act with respect to the small watershed rehabilitation program to: (1) authorize appropriations through FY2018, and (2) require CCC funds for FY2014.
(Sec. 2506) Amends the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary to modify and terminate floodplain easements if: (1) the current landowner agrees; and (2) the modification or termination addresses a compelling public need for which there is no practical alternative, and is in the public interest.
(Sec. 2507) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to revise the water for at-risk desert terminal lakes program.
Directs the Secretary to:
Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from using such authority to deliver assistance to the Great Salt Lake in Utah, dry lakes, or other lakes that do not meet the purposes of this section.
Authorizes appropriations for land purchase grants.
Requires CCC funding for water assistance.
(Sec. 2508) Amends the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977 to make Indian tribes eligible to cooperate with and participate in the soil and water conservation program.
Subtitle G: Funding and Administration - (Sec. 2601) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the use of CCC funds through FY2018 for:
(Sec. 2602) Prohibits CCC funds for conservation programs from being used for CRP technical assistance.
Gives priority to producers who request technical assistance in order to comply for the first time with the requirements of subtitle B and subtitle C of this title.
(Sec. 2603) Replaces priority funding requirements to provide regional equity for certain conservation program funding with one to ensure equitable program participation proportional to historical funding allocations and usage by all states.
(Sec. 2604) Extends through FY2018 the annual set-aside in the environmental quality incentives program and the CSP for beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
Gives preference to such farmers or ranchers who are also veterans.
(Sec. 2605) Revises specified reporting requirements.
(Sec. 2606) Makes veteran farmers and ranchers eligible to receive conservation program incentives.
States that any payment received by an owner or operator under this title shall be in addition to and not affect the total amount of payments that the owner or operator is eligible to receive under this Act, the Agricultural Act of 1949, the Agricultural Act of 2014, or any law succeeding such Acts.
Authorizes the Secretary to enter into alternative funding arrangements with Indian tribes in carrying out the CSP and the environmental quality incentives program.
(Secs. 2607-2608) Directs the Secretary to: (1) review and update standard operating procedures for state technical committees, and (2) promulgate regulations necessary to implement programs under this title.
(Sec. 2609) Makes the wetland mitigation banking pilot program permanent.
Requires CCC program funding.
Directs the Secretary to develop policy and criteria that will allow persons to access existing mitigation banks without requiring the Secretary to hold an easement in a mitigation bank.
(Sec. 2610) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding conservation of the lesser prairie-chicken.
(Sec. 2611) Adds the federally funded portion of crop insurance premiums to the list of program benefits that could be lost by a producer who grows an agricultural commodity on certain converted wetlands or highly erodible land without an approved conservation plan or qualifying exemption.
Applies such penalty to reinsurance years subsequent to the date of final determination of a violation.
Subtitle H: Repeal of Superseded Program Authorities and Transitional Provisions; Technical Amendments - (Secs. 2701-2711) Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to repeal (subject to specified transitional requirements):
(Sec. 2712) Prescribes requirements for the temporary administration of conservation programs.
Grants the Secretary 270 days to continue using existing regulations to implement new and amended programs in the absence of new regulations.
Title III: Trade - Subtitle A: Food for Peace Act - (Sec. 3001) Amends the Food for Peace Act to state that title II emergency and nonemergency assistance is to be implemented by the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
(Sec. 3002) Increases funds available to eligible organizations for program, administrative, and distribution activities.
Permits an eligible organization to invest such funds pending their use.
(Sec. 3003) Includes among activities to ensure donated food quality:
Extends funding through FY2018 for food quality activities.
(Sec. 3004) Extends annual minimum levels of assistance through FY2018 for title II assistance, including assistance for nonemergency programs.
(Sec. 3005) Extends the Food Aid Consultative Group through December 31, 2018.
Includes representatives from the U.S. agricultural processing sector in the Group.
Requires the Administrator to consult with the Group before issuing implementation regulations, handbooks, and guidelines.
(Sec. 3006) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for additional, discretionary monitoring of emergency food assistance, including amounts for upgraded information technology systems.
Requires USAID to report to Congress regarding: (1) implementation of regulations and guidance; and (2) monitoring, reporting and audits of programs conducted by an eligible nonprofit organization and an eligible intergovernmental organization.
(Sec. 3007) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for stockpiling and rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable prepackaged foods.
(Sec. 3008) Directs the Secretary or the Administrator to seek information, as part of the regular proposal and submission process, from implementing agencies on the potential costs and benefits to the local economy of agricultural commodity sales within the recipient country.
Directs the Administrator to report annually to Congress: (1) specifying the amount and use of funds provided to each recipient organization in the previous fiscal year, and (2) describing each commodity's actual rate of return.
(Sec. 3009) Authorizes:
(Sec. 3010) Requires that the annual agricultural trade programs and activities report to Congress includes the McGovern-Dole international food for education and child nutrition program.
(Sec. 3011) Extends authority to enter into agreements until December 31, 2018.
(Sec. 3012) Requires that: (1) between 20% and 30% of title II funds be expended for nonemergency food assistance (under title II), and (2) the amount for such nonemergency food assistance programs be at least $350 million per fiscal year.
(Sec. 3013) Extends micronutrient fortification program authority until September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 3014) Requires that at least the greater of $15 million or 0.6% of available funds be used through FY2018 for the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter farmer-to-farmer program.
Extends the authorization of appropriations through FY2018 for programs in: (1) sub-Saharan African and Caribbean Basin countries, and (2) other developing or middle-income countries or emerging markets.
Requires the Government Accountabiity Office (GAO) to review the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter farmer-to-farmer program.
(Sec. 3015) Eliminates language requiring a report on improved procurement planning.
Subtitle B: Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 - (Sec. 3101) Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to reduce the maximum CCC export loan guarantee term from 3 years to 24 months.
Makes CCC credit guarantees of $5.5 billion available for each fiscal year.
(Secs. 3102-3103) Makes CCC funds available through FY2018 for: (1) the market access program, and (2) the foreign market cooperator program.
Subtitle C: Other Agricultural Trade Laws - (Sec. 3201) Amends the Food for Progress Act of 1985 to make CCC funds available through FY2018 for the food for progress program.
Extends the program through December 31, 2018.
(Sec. 3202) Amends the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act to extend authority through FY2018 for stock replenishment of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.
Extends the Trust through September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 3203) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to extend through FY2018: (1) CCC direct credits or export credit guarantees for exports to emerging markets, and (2) the E. (Kika) de la Garza Agricultural Fellowship Program.
(Secs. 3204-3205) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to: (1) authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the McGovern-Dole international food for education and child nutrition program, and (2) provide CCC funding through FY2018 for specialty crop technical assistance.
Directs the Secretary to conduct an economic study of the U.S. market for U.S. Atlantic spiny dogfish.
(Sec. 3206) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the Global Crop Diversity Trust.
(Sec. 3207) Authorizes: (1) appropriations through FY2018 for local and regional food aid procurement projects; and (2) preference to be given to eligible organizations that have, or are working toward, projects under the McGovern-Dole international food for education and child nutrition program.
(Sec. 3208) Authorizes the Secretary to establish the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture for Foreign Agricultural Services.
Title IV: Nutrition - Subtitle A: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - (Sec. 4001) Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to prohibit the payment of a deposit fee in excess of any state fee reimbursement to recipients of supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) for the return of empty bottles and cans used to contain food purchased with SNAP benefits.
(Sec. 4002) Requires participating retail food stores to: (1) offer perishable goods in at least three staple food categories, and (2) provide adequate electronic benefit transfer (EBT) service.
Requires participating retail food stores (including restaurants participating in a state option restaurant program intended to serve the elderly, disabled, and homeless), with certain exceptions, to pay 100% of the costs of acquiring and arranging for the implementation of EBT point-of-sale equipment and supplies. Exempts from such requirement farmers' markets and other direct-to-consumer markets, military commissaries, nonprofit food buying cooperatives, and certain establishments, organizations, programs, or group living arrangements.
Prohibits a state from issuing manual vouchers unless the Secretary determines that they are necessary.
Requires parties providing EBT transfer services to maintain a unique terminal identification number through the SNAP routing system.
(Sec. 4003) Includes as eligible retailers governmental or nonprofit food purchasing delivery services that serve elderly or disabled individuals who are unable to shop for food.
(Sec. 4004) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the Indian reservation food distribution program.
Directs the Secretary to determine the feasibility of tribal administration of federal food assistance programs in lieu of state or other administrating entities. Obligates specified FY2014 funds for such study.
Directs the Secretary to pilot a demonstration project by awarding a grant to one or more tribal organizations authorized to administer the food distribution program on Indian reservations to purchase traditional foods and foods produced locally by Indian producers for distribution to recipients of foods distributed under the Indian reservation food distribution program.
(Sec. 4005) Excludes medical marijuana as an excess medical expense deduction.
(Sec. 4006) Requires a household to receive a low-income heating and energy assistance program payment of $20 or more annually in order to receive the SNAP utility allowance deduction.
Authorizes a state to delay implementation of this section for up to five months for households that currently receive such allowance.
(Sec. 4007) Limits SNAP eligibility for post secondary students to students participating in career and technical training programs that may be completed in not more than four years, including remedial courses, basic adult education, literacy, or English as a second language.
(Sec. 4008) Disqualifies from SNAP eligibility any person who: (1) has been convicted of certain felonies on or after enactment of this Act, and (2) is not in compliance with the terms of the sentence for such felonies.
(Sec. 4009) Makes any household in which a member receives substantial lottery or gambling winnings ineligible for SNAP benefits until the household meets financial resources and income eligibility requirements.
(Sec. 4010) States that, if a household makes excessive requests for replacement of its EBT card, the Secretary may require a state agency to decline to issue a replacement card unless the household explains the card's loss. Requires states in implementing this practice to protect vulnerable persons.
(Sec. 4011) Requires pilot projects, which shall be completed by July 1, 2016, to test the feasibility of allowing qualifying retailers to accept SNAP benefits through mobile transactions and on-line transactions.
Requires the Secretary, by January 1, 2017, to: (1) authorize implementation of such projects in all states unless the Secretary makes a finding that implementation is not in the best interest of SNAP, and (2) report to Congress regarding the basis for any finding to not authorize.
(Sec. 4012) Authorizes the use of SNAP benefits for shares of community-supported agriculture.
(Sec. 4013) Requires states at the time of certification to data-match with the National Directory of New Hires for eligibility and benefit calculation purposes.
(Sec. 4014) Sets forth: (1) additional responsibilities for state agencies before restaurants may participate in a restaurant meals program, and (2) related reporting requirements.
(Sec. 4015) Requires a state agency to use: (1) an income and eligibility verification system, and (2) an immigration status verification system.
(Sec. 4016) Directs the Secretary to designate data exchange standards to govern:
(Sec. 4017) Requires the Secretary to carry out pilot projects to test innovative federal-state partnerships to reduce SNAP fraud by retail food stores and wholesale food concerns, including by allowing states to operate investigative programs. Requires at least one pilot project in a large urban area that administers its own SNAP program.
(Sec. 4018) Prohibits: (1) the use of federal funds to recruit SNAP recipients, and (2) recruitment activities by entities that receive SNAP funds.
(Sec. 4019) Sets: (1) $37 as the threshold level for reporting SNAP errors for FY2014, and (2) $37 adjusted for inflation (based on the growth of the cost of the thrifty food plan) in subsequent fiscal years.
(Sec. 4020) Eliminates the Secretary's authority to waive a state agency's responsibility to pay all or any portion of the liability for a state with a high payment error rate.
(Sec. 4021) Authorizes a state agency to use high performance bonus payments only to carry out SNAP, including investments in: (1) technology; (2) improvements in administration and distribution; and (3) actions to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
(Sec. 4022) Extends to 24 months the length of time that the Secretary shall reserve annual funding for state allocation for employment and training programs.
Directs the Secretary to establish up to 10 pilot projects to identify best practices for employment and training programs to increase the number of work registrants who obtain unsubsidized employment and reduce public assistance dependence.
Provides FY2014-FY2015 funding (which shall be available through FY2018).
Prescribes requirements for oversight and monitoring of employment and training activities.
Requires each state agency to report annually to the Secretary on its employment and training program, including the numbers of SNAP participants who have gained employment skills, training, work, or experience. Authorizes the Secretary to require a state agency to modify its plan to improve outcomes.
(Sec. 4023) Requires states, state agencies, local agencies, institutions, facilities such as data consortiums, and contractors participating in programs under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to cooperate with USDA officials and contractors in conducting evaluations and studies under this Act.
(Sec. 4024) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for SNAP and related programs.
(Sec. 4025) Directs the Secretary to review the provision of nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico in the form of cash benefits. Makes FY2014 funds available for such review and a report.
Phases out Puerto Rico's cash practice during FY2017-FY2021. Permits approval, however, of any assistance plan exempting participants, or categories of them, if discontinuation of benefits in the form of cash is likely to have significant adverse effects.
(Sec. 4026) Makes gleaners, public food program service providers, and tribal organizations eligible grantees to carry out community food projects.
Increases fiscal year total grant amounts beginning in FY2015.
Eliminates grants and contracts for: (1) the healthy urban food enterprise development center, and (2) innovative programs for addressing common community problems.
(Sec. 4027) Extends commodity purchase authority through FY2018 for the emergency food assistance program.
Makes annual commodity entitlement funding available for a two-fiscal year period.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for emergency food program infrastructure grants.
(Sec. 4028) Includes promotion of physical activity as part of the nutrition education and obesity prevention program.
(Sec. 4029) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018, and makes FY2014 funds available to supplement USDA retail food store and recipient program integrity activities and prevent store and recipient trafficking.
(Sec. 4031) Requires: (1) a study to assess the capabilities of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to operate the SNAP program in the same manner it is operated in the states, and alternative models that best meet CNMI needs; and (2) establishment of a pilot program if the study determines that it is feasible for the CNMI to operate a SNAP program as operated in the states.
Provides: (1) FY2014-FY2015 funding for such study, and (2) FY2016-FY2018 funding for any pilot program that may be established.
(Sec. 4032) Requires a state agency to report annually to the Secretary evidence that it has not issued SNAP benefits to: (1) a deceased individual, and (2) an individual who was permanently disqualified from receiving benefits. Reduces the federal share of administrative costs by up to 50% for noncompliance.
Requires the Secretary, after completion of a multi-state pilot program to test the prevention of duplicate SNAP participation, to assess the feasibility of expanding such program nationwide.
(Sec. 4033) Directs the Secretary and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to allow the donation to and serving of traditional food through food service programs at public facilities and nonprofit facilities (including facilities operated by Indian tribes and tribal organizations) that primarily serve Indians, if the operator of the food service program meets specified conditions.
Exempts the United States, an Indian tribe, and a tribal organization from civil liability for any damage, injury, or death caused by the donation to or serving of traditional foods through food service programs.
Subtitle B: Commodity Distribution Programs - (Sec. 4101) Amends the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to extend the commodity distribution program through FY2018.
(Sec. 4102) Extends the commodity supplemental food program through FY2018.
Limits commodity supplemental food program eligibility to low-income persons 60 years or older. Permits persons under 60 years old currently being served by the program to remain in the program until they no longer meet eligibility requirements.
(Sec. 4103) Extends the distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects program through FY2018.
(Sec. 4104) Amends the Commodity Distribution Reform Act and WIC Amendments of 1987 to authorize the Secretary to retain title to commodities delivered to a processor until such time as end products containing the commodities are delivered to a state distributing agency or to a recipient agency.
Subtitle C: Miscellaneous - (Sec. 4201) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend through FY2018 the program for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables for schools and service institutions.
(Sec. 4202) Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Secretary to conduct a pilot project in not more than eight states participating in the national school lunch program to have additional flexibility by purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables from multiple suppliers and allowing for geographic preference.
Requires that at least one project be located in a state in:
(Sec. 4203) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to provide CCC funding through FY2018 for the senior farmers' market nutrition program.
(Sec. 4204) Amends the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 to require the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, by the 2020 report and in each ensuing report, to include national nutritional and dietary information and guidelines for pregnant women and children from birth until the age of two.
(Sec. 4205) Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to direct the Secretary to: (1) establish in the office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services a multiagency task force to coordinate commodity programs; and (2) report annually to Congress on task force recommendations and policies implemented to improve such programs.
(Sec. 4206) Establishes a healthy food financing initiative to improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, create quality jobs, and revitalize low-income communities by providing loans and grants to fresh food retailers to overcome higher entry costs in such areas.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 4207) Amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to: (1) provide for the increased purchase of Kosher and Halal food if such food is cost-neutral as compared to food that is not from food manufacturers with a Kosher or Halal certification, and (2) modify the labeling of the commodities list under the emergency food assistance program to enable Kosher and Halal food bank operators to identify which commodities to obtain from local food banks.
(Sec. 4208) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to replace the hunger-free communities collaborative grant program with the food insecurity nutrition incentive grant program.
Limits federal cost share to 50%.
Gives priority to projects that:
States that such assistance shall not be considered part of a household's SNAP benefits.
Authorizes appropriations, and provides CCC funding, through FY2018.
(Sec. 4209) Amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to direct the Secretary, through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, to administer a competitively awarded food and agriculture service learning grant program to increase knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 4210) Repeals the nutrition information and awareness pilot program.
(Sec. 4211) Declares null and void, upon the enactment of this Act, the memorandum of understanding (the Partnership for Nutrition Assistance Initiative) entered into on July 22, 2004, by the Secretary and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mexico.
(Sec. 4212) Directs the Secretary to evaluate sole-source contracts in federal nutrition programs and the effects of these contracts on program participation, program goals, nonprogram consumers, retailers, and free market dynamics.
(Sec. 4213) Directs the Secretary, in addition to the commodities delivered under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, to purchase eligible pulse crops (dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas) and pulse crop products for the school lunch and school breakfast programs.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 4214) Directs the Secretary to:
Requires specified funding.
Title V: Credit - Subtitle A: Farm Ownership Loans - (Sec. 5001) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to allow: (1) additional legal entities to qualify for farm ownership loans, and (2) other acceptable experiences to qualify for the three-year farming eligibility requirement for direct loans.
Sets forth special owner-operator requirements for: (1) operating-only entities with at least 50% ownership, and (2) embedded entities with at least 75% family ownership.
(Sec. 5002) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the conservation loan and loan guarantee program.
Allows additional legal entities to qualify for the program.
Increases loan guarantees to 80%. Provides a 90% guarantee for socially disadvantaged or beginning farmers or ranchers.
(Sec. 5003) Revises the interest rate for joint financing arrangements to: (1) the difference between 2% and the interest rate for farm ownership loans, or (2) 2.5%.
(Sec. 5004) Eliminates the appraisal requirement for inclusion of mineral rights in collateral for a farm ownership loan.
(Sec. 5005) Increases the maximum down payment loan from 45% of $500,000 to 45% of $667,000.
Subtitle B: Operating Loans - (Sec. 5101) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to allow additional legal entities to qualify for farm operating loans.
Sets forth special owner-operator requirements for embedded entities with at least 75% family ownership.
(Sec. 5102) Eliminates the rural residency requirement for operating loans to youth.
(Sec. 5103) Authorizes the Secretary to waive the personal liability of a youth borrower for a loan due to circumstances beyond the borrower's control.
States that debt forgiveness does not affect eligibility for federal educational loans or other federal agency loans.
(Sec. 5104) Directs the Secretary to report annually to Congress on the impact of term limits on direct loan borrowers.
(Sec. 5105) Directs the Secretary to develop ways to determine unit prices for crops and other agricultural products intended to be in locally or regionally produced agricultural food products in order to facilitate lending to local and regional food producers.
(Sec. 5106) Authorizes a micro loan program for direct or guaranteed loans with a maximum micro loan of $50,000 per borrower.
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a FY2014-FY2018 pilot project for loans to community development financial institutions to: (1) make or guarantee microloans; and (2) provide microloan borrowers with business, financial, marketing, and credit management services.
(Sec. 5107) Eliminates guaranteed farm operating loan term limits.
Subtitle C: Emergency Loans - (Sec. 5201) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to allow additional legal entities to qualify for emergency loans.
Sets forth special owner-operator requirements for embedded entities with at least 75% family ownership.
Subtitle D: Administrative requirements - (Sec. 5301) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to extend the beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts pilot program through FY2018.
(Sec. 5302) Authorizes the Secretary to conduct limited pilot projects to improve the programs carried out under this subtitle.
(Sec. 5303) Revises the definition of "qualified beginning farmer or rancher."
(Sec. 5304) Authorizes loan levels for direct and guaranteed farm ownership and farm operating loans through FY2018.
(Sec. 5305) Obligates funds through FY2018 for direct operating loans for beginning farmers and ranchers.
Subtitle E: State Agricultural Mediation Programs - (Sec. 5401) Amends the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 to extend state agricultural mediation programs through FY2018.
(Sec. 5402) Amends the loan and loan guarantee program for Indian tribes and tribal corporations to purchase highly fractioned land within the reservation to permit loans to intermediaries to establish revolving loan funds for such purchases.
(Sec. 5403) Limits to one the number of appraisals by the Secretary or the Secretary of the Interior that borrowers who are Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes, or tribal corporations are required to obtain.
(Sec. 5404) Requires the Farm Credit Administration to review its rules to reflect congressional intent that a primary responsibility of the boards of directors of Farm Credit System institutions is to oversee compensation practices.
Title VI: Rural Development - Subtitle A: Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act - (Sec. 6001) Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grants.
(Sec. 6002) Eliminates the fund set-aside for child day care facilities.
(Sec. 6003) Reduces the authorization of appropriations for the rural water and wastewater circuit rider program.
(Sec. 6004) Directs the Secretary to consider the community benefits from using loan guarantees in carrying out the community facilities program.
(Sec. 6005) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the federal share of developing specific Indian tribal college or university essential community facilities.
(Sec. 6006) Authorizes the Secretary, with respect to the essential community facilities program, to make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations to provide rural associations with technical assistance and training.
Reserves between 3% and 5% of program appropriations for such grants.
(Sec. 6007) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for:
(Sec. 6009) Authorizes: (1) the Secretary to take a borrower's accounts receivable as security for a rural business and industry loan, and (2) a borrower to use accounts receivable as collateral to secure a loan or loan guarantee.
(Sec. 6012) Replaces the rural business enterprise grant program with a rural business development grant program.
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to governmental entities, Indian tribes, and nonprofit entities for:
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.
(Sec. 6016) Authorizes the rural economic area partnership zone program through FY2018.
(Sec. 6018) Directs the Secretary to develop a coordinated strategy for rural development programs when making investments in rural community colleges and technical colleges.
(Sec. 6019) Encourages private or cooperative lenders to finance rural water and waste disposal facilities by:
(Sec. 6020) Directs the Secretary to simplify the rural development loan application process.
(Sec. 6025) Authorizes the Secretary to give rural development program priority to a project that will be carried out solely in a rural area and supports multi-jurisdictional community and economic development.
(Sec. 6026) Terminates on October 1, 2018: (1) the Delta Regional Authority, and (2) the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority.
Subtitle B: Rural Electrification Act of 1936 - (Sec. 6101) Amends the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to direct the Secretary, at the request of a baseload generation loan guarantee borrower, to charge an up-front fee equal to the costs of the loan guarantee.
Prohibits a borrower from using funds from a federal loan or other debt obligation to pay the fee.
(Sec. 6102) Extends guarantee authority for rural electrification or telephone bonds and notes through September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 6103) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for expansion of 911 access.
(Sec. 6104) Revises the program of giving access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas, including priority and eligibility requirements.
Requires: (1) at least two evaluation periods for each fiscal year to compare loan and loan guarantee applications and to prioritize loans and loan guarantees, and (2) a study of the ways that data collected under USDA broadband programs could be shared with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to support the development of the FCC National Broadband Map.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
Extends loan and loan guarantee authority through September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 6105) Directs the Secretary to establish the rural gigabit network pilot program to provide loans, loan guarantees, or grants for high-speed service to rural areas.
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.Subtitle C: Miscellaneous - (Sec. 6201) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the distance learning and telemedicine program.
(Sec. 6202) Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to replace the Interstate Commerce Commission with the Surface Transportation Board as entities with which the Secretary is authorized and directed to participate with to improve agricultural transportation services.
(Sec. 6203) Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to include veteran farmers or ranchers as priority recipients for value-added agricultural product market development grants.
Authorizes grant appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 6204) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the agriculture innovation center demonstration program.
(Sec. 6205) Directs the Secretary to make interest-free loans to public power or utility districts or other Rural Utilities Service borrowers for loans to qualified consumers to implement energy efficiency measures.
Authorizes FY2014-FY208 appropriations.
(Sec. 6206) Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to publish an updated version of a specified rural transportation study.
(Sec. 6207) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the Northern Border Regional Commission, the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, and the Southwest Border Regional Commission for regional development.
(Sec. 6208) Amends the Housing Act of 1949 to increase from 2,500 to 3,500 the maximum population of a rural area addressed by the Act.
(Sec. 6209) Directs the Secretary to collect certain economic activity data created through grants and loans and measure the short- and long-term viability of award recipients and any entities to which those recipients provide assistance using award funds.
Title VII: Research, Extension, and Related Matters - Subtitle A: National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 - (Sec. 7101) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to allow through FY2018 a cooperating forestry school or a Hispanic-serving agricultural college or university to opt out of its respective designation in order to qualify as a Non-Land-Grant College of Agriculture.
(Sec. 7102) Extends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board through FY2018.
(Sec. 7103) Directs the Secretary to establish a citrus crop subcommittee within the speciality crops committee. Terminates the subcommittee on September 30, 2018.
(Sec. 7104) Directs the Secretary to establish a veterinary services grant program. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 7105) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for grants and fellowships for food and agricultural sciences education.
(Sec. 7106) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for agricultural and food policy research centers.
Changes the Secretary's authority to make competitive grants to agricultural and food policy research centers from discretionary to mandatory. Eliminates non-competitive grant authority.
Gives preference to policy research centers that have:
(Sec. 7107) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for competitive education grants to Alaska Native-serving institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions. Eliminates authority for non-competitive grants.
(Secs. 7108-7109) Repeals: (1) the human nutrition intervention and health promotion research program, and (2) the pilot program to combine medical and agricultural research.
(Sec. 7110) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the nutrition education program.
(Sec. 7111) Revises and authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for animal health and disease research.
Establishes a competitive grant program (in addition to the existing capacity and infrastructure program) for eligible entities to conduct research: (1) to promote food security, and (2) on the relationship between animal and human health.
Sets forth funding apportionment requirements.
(Sec. 7112) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee University.
(Sec. 7113) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences facilities and equipment at insular area land-grant institutions.
Includes support of tropical and subtropical agricultural research, including pest and disease research, as a grant purpose.
(Sec. 7114) Repeals authority for national research and training virtual centers.
(Sec. 7115) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for Hispanic-serving institutions.
(Sec. 7116) Expands the competitive grants program at Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities to include training of Hispanic agricultural workers and Hispanic youth working in the food and agricultural sciences.
(Sec. 7117) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for competitive grants for international agricultural science and education programs.
(Sec. 7118) Repeals research equipment grant authority.
(Sec. 7119) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for agricultural research at universities and state agricultural experiment stations.
(Sec. 7120) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for Cooperative Extension Service programs.
(Sec. 7121) Directs the Secretary, for purposes of supporting ongoing research and information dissemination activities, to enter into grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with former USDA agricultural research facilities.
(Sec. 7122) Extends authority through September 30, 2018, for a supplemental and alternative crop research program. Permits only competitive grants to be awarded.
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.
(Sec. 7123) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for capacity building grants for non-land grant agricultural colleges.
(Sec. 7124) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for aquaculture assistance programs.
Requires that aquaculture cooperative research and extension grants be competitive grants.
(Secs. 7125-7126) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for: (1) rangeland research programs, and (2) biosecurity planning and response.
(Sec. 7127) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for distance food and agriculture education grants for insular areas.
Eliminates noncompetitive program grants.
(Sec. 7128) Requires, with certain exceptions, the recipient of a competitive grant that involves applied research or extension and that is commodity- or state-specific to provide matching funds or in-kind contributions.
Provides a one-year matching fund waiver year for a competitive grant that involves research or extension priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.
(Sec. 7129) Designates Central State University (Ohio) as an 1890 land grant institution.
Subtitle B: Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 - (Secs. 7201-7204) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to replace the permanent authorization of appropriations with an authorization of appropriations through FY2018 for:
(Secs. 7205-7206) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for: (1) the national genetics resources program, and (2) the national agricultural weather information system.
(Sec. 7207) Repeals the electronic commerce extension program.
(Sec. 7208) Directs the Secretary encourage agricultural genome initiative awards to consortia of eligible entities.
(Sec. 7209) Revises high-priority research and extension initiative requirements.
Authorizes grants for:
Establishes a pulse crop (dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas) health research and extension initiative.
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.
Directs the Secretary to make a competitive grant to, or enter into a contract or a cooperative agreement with, an eligible entity to establish the Comprehensive Food Safety Training Network to enhance U.S. food supply protection.
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for pollinator protection research.
(Sec. 7210) Repeals the nutrient management research and extension initiative.
(Sec. 7211) Provides CCC funds through FY2018 for the organic agriculture research and extension initiative.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the initiative.
(Sec. 7212) Repeals the agricultural bioenergy feedstock and energy efficiency research and extension initiative.
(Sec. 7213) Replaces the permanent authorization of appropriations with an authorization of appropriations through FY2018 for the farm business management program.
(Sec. 7214) Authorizes the Secretary to prioritize for funding purposes regional centers of excellence established for specific agricultural commodities.
Requires a regional center of excellence to be composed of one or more colleges and universities that support the regional center financially.(Sec. 7215) Repeals authority for the red meat food safety research center.
(Sec. 7216) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for an assistive technology program for farmers with disabilities.
(Sec. 7217) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse.
Subtitle C: Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 - (Sec. 7301) Amends the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 to include "relevance" as a factor in evaluating applications for agricultural research grants.
(Secs. 7302-7303) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for: (1) integrated management systems programs; and (2) research regarding diseases of wheat, triticale, and barley caused by Fusarium graminearum or by Tilletia indica.
(Sec. 7304) Repeals the bovine Johne's (livestock) disease control program.
(Sec. 7305) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for grants for youth organizations.
(Sec. 7306) Revises specialty crop research initiative requirements.
Requires peer review and consultation with the specialty crops committee before award of a grant.
Provides permanent CCC funds for the initiative.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
Establishes a program to combat citrus diseases under which the Secretary shall award competitive grants to eligible entities to:
Obligates specified CCC amounts through FY2018 for the citrus disease initiative.
Authorizes FY2014-FY2018 appropriations.
(Sec. 7307) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the food animal residue avoidance database program.
(Sec. 7308) Repeals authority for the national swine research center.
(Sec. 7309) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the Office of Pest Management Policy.
(Sec. 7310) Directs the Secretary to establish a forestry and forestry products research and extension grant initiative to develop science-based tools that address the needs of the forestry sector, forest and timberland owners and managers, and forestry products manufacturing interests.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 7311) Repeals authority for certain studies of agricultural research, extension, and education.
Subtitle D: Other Laws - (Sec. 7401) Amends the Critical Agricultural Materials Act to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for critical agricultural materials activities.
(Sec. 7402) Amends the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 to revise the list of "1994 Institutions" (specified tribally controlled community colleges and postsecondary vocational institutions, Bureau of Indian Affairs [BIA] postsecondary institutions, and the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts).
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for: (1) 1994 Institutions, (2) capacity building grants, and (3) research grants.
Revises research grant requirements.
(Sec. 7403) Amends the Research Facilities Act to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for agricultural research facilities.
(Sec. 7404) Amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for competitive, special, and facilities research grants.
Includes among priority areas: (1) development of surveillance methods, vaccines, and diagnostic tests for pests and diseases; (2) identification and application of animal drugs; and (3) water quality improvement.
Includes foundations among eligible grant entities.
Requires a matching contribution for commodity promotion grants.
Directs the Secretary to prioritize pest management for minor agricultural use and specialty crop use.
(Sec. 7405) Amends the Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for educational and technical aid through state extension agencies and eligible universities and colleges.
(Sec. 7406) Amends the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for aquaculture activities under USDA, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Interior.
(Sec. 7407) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to repeal authority for certain remote sensing data use.
(Sec. 7408) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to repeal reporting requirements regarding producers and handlers of organic products and genetically modified pest-protected plants, as well as authority to study and evaluate nutrient banking.
(Sec. 7409) Provides CCC funding and authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the beginning farmer and rancher development program.
Revises the list of eligible programs and services.
Reduces the set-asides for: (1) limited resource beginning farmers or ranchers, (2) socially disadvantaged beginning farmers or ranchers, and (3) farm workers desiring to become farmers or ranchers.
Makes beginning farmers and ranchers who are veterans eligible for program set-asides.
(Sec. 7410) Amends the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act Amendments of 1985 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for construction, acquisition, and repair of buildings and other public improvements.
Subtitle E: Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 - Part I: Agricultural Security - (Secs. 7501-7504) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for:
Part II: Miscellaneous requirements - (Sec. 7511) Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to extend authority to lease property of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center or the National Agricultural Library through June 18, 2018.
Revises related congressional reporting dates.
(Sec. 7512) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to extend for an additional five years the prohibition against declaring the Grazinglands Research Laboratory at El Reno, Oklahoma, excess or surplus federal property, or otherwise conveying or transferring it.
(Sec. 7513) Revises budget submission and funding requirements.
(Sec. 7514) Repeals the seed distribution program.
(Sec. 7515) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the natural products research program.
(Sec. 7516) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the sun grant program.
Eliminates designation of certain universities as regional centers.
Replaces authority for gasification research with that for bioproducts research.
(Secs. 7517-7518) Repeals: (1) authority for the food desert study, and (2) the grant program for agricultural and rural transportation research and education activities.
Subtitle F: Miscellaneous requirements - (Sec. 7601) Directs the Secretary to establish the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research to make grants to:
Provides CCC funding, subject to a matching funds requirement.
Sets forth Foundation requirements.
(Sec. 7602) Authorizes the Secretary to negotiate concession agreements at the National Arboretum with nonprofit organizations that support the Arboretum.
(Sec. 7603) Directs the Secretary, through the National Agricultural Library, to support the dissemination of objective and authoritative agricultural and food law research, legal tools, and information through cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 7604) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 (FOV Race 4) and its impact on cotton.
(Sec. 7605) Makes technical amendments to the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
(Sec. 7606) Authorizes an institution of higher education or a state department of agriculture to cultivate industrial hemp if:
Title VIII: Forestry - Subtitle A: Repeal of Certain Forestry Programs - (Sec. 8001) Repeals:
Subtitle B: Reauthorization of Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 Programs - (Sec. 8101) Amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 to include military installations among the coordinating agencies involved in developing a state-wide forest resource assessment and forest strategy.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
Subtitle C: Reauthorization of Other Forestry-Related Laws - (Sec. 8201) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the rural revitalization technologies program.
(Sec. 8202) Amends the Global Climate Change Prevention Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the Office of International Forestry.
(Sec. 8203) Amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, with respect to the healthy forests reserve program, to: (1) define the meaning of acreage owned by Indian tribes, and (2) authorize appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 8204) Directs the Secretary, upon request by a state governor, to designate as part of an insect and disease treatment program one or more landscape-scale areas, such as subwatersheds, in at least one national forest in each state experiencing an insect or disease epidemic. Authorizes appropriations through FY2024.
Prescribes requirements for a collaborative restoration project, which may be: (1) considered an action categorically excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); and (2) exempt from the special administrative review process.
(A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations and for which, therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.)
(Sec. 8205) Authorizes the Chief of the Forest Service of the USDA and the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the Department of the Interior to enter into stewardship contracting projects with private persons or other public or private entities to perform services to achieve specified land management goals for the national forests and the public lands that meet local and rural community needs.
Sets forth fire liability and administrative requirements.
(Sec. 8206) Authorizes the Secretary, for National Forest System, and the Secretary of the Interior, for BLM land, to enter into a good neighbor agreement with a governor to carry out authorized similar and complementary forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services on both non-federal and federal land (National Wilderness Preservation System, wilderness study areas, and other federal land on which removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted).
Exempts agreements from certain timber sale requirements.
Prohibits decisions required under NEPA from being delegated to a governor.
Subtitle D: Miscellaneous requirements - (Sec. 8301) Directs the Secretary to revise and submit to Congress the forest inventory strategic plan.
(Sec. 8302) Directs the Secretary, through the Forest Service, to use funds from conservation-related programs on National Forest System land to utilize the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) program to provide technical services for such programs.
(Sec. 8303) Amends the National Forest Management Act of 1976 to authorize the Secretary to designate National Forest System tree and forest products for harvest through description or prescription in addition to physically marking trees for harvest.
(Sec. 8304) Authorizes the Secretary, if one state seeks reimbursement for resources and services provided to another state for wildfire management and suppression, to accept the reimbursement from the other state and pay it to the state seeking reimbursement.
(Sec. 8305) Authorizes the Secretary, through the Forest Service, to establish a large airtanker and aerial asset (firefighting) lease program.
(Sec. 8306) Directs the Secretary to convey to the Mullins and Sturgill Cemetery Association of Pound, Virginia, specified National Forest System land in the Jefferson National Forest in Wise County, Virginia, which contains the Cemetery and an easement to provide access to such land.
Requires the Association to pay the Secretary cash consideration equal to the land's market value, which shall be deposited into the Treasury for deficit reduction.
Title IX: Energy - (Sec. 9001) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to define:
(Sec. 9002) Revises the biobased markets program to require each procuring agency to establish a targeted biobased-only procurement requirement under which it shall issue a certain number of biobased-only contracts when purchasing products or services that include the use of products that are included in a biobased product category designated by the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary within one year to designate intermediate ingredients or feedstocks and assembled and finished biobased products for use in biobased procurement guidelines.
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out related auditing and compliance activities.
Directs the Secretary to assess the economic impact of the biobased products industry.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Forest Products Laboratory, to provide technical and other assistance to the biobased markets program and applicants for forest products in determining whether such products are eligible for the USDA Certified Biobased Product label.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
Requires specified CCC funding for the biobased markets program for FY2014-FY2018.
(Sec. 9003) Includes renewable chemical and biobased product manufacturing in the biorefinery assistance program.
Defines "biobased product manufacturing" as the development, construction, and retrofitting of technologically new commercial-scale processing and manufacturing equipment and required facilities to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into commercial end-user products.
Eliminates grants to assist in paying the costs of development and construction of demonstration-scale biorefineries to demonstrate the commercial viability of one or more processes for converting renewable biomass to advanced biofuels.
Directs the Secretary to ensure project diversity.
Provides CCC program funding for biorefinery assistance for FY2014-FY2016. Limits to 15% the amount of such funds that may be used in FY2014-FY2015 for loan guarantees to promote biobased product manufacturing.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 9004) Provides CCC program funding for FY2014 for the repowering assistance program.
Authorizes additional appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 9005) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the bioenergy program for advanced biofuels.
Specifies CCC program funding for FY2014-FY2018.
(Sec. 9006) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the biodiesel fuel education program.
Specifies CCC program funding for FY2014-FY2018.
(Sec. 9007) Revises the rural energy for America program to:
Provides permanent CCC program funding beginning in FY2014.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 9008) Authorizes appropriations through FY2018 for the biomass research and development program.
Provides program funding for FY2014-FY2018.
(Sec. 9009) Extends the feedstock flexibility program for bioenergy producers through FY2018.
(Sec. 9010) Revises the biomass crop assistance program to:
Provides CCC program funding for FY2014-FY2018.
Directs the Secretary for each fiscal year to use between 10% and 50% of the amount of such funds for collection, harvest, transportation, and storage payments. States that such payments: (1) may not exceed $20 per dry ton, and (2) shall be available for a 2-year period.
(Sec. 9011) Repeals the forest biomass for energy program.
(Sec. 9012) Revises the community wood energy program to create grants to biomass consumer cooperatives to provide consumers with services or discounts for purchasing biomass heating systems, biomass heating products, or delivery and storage of biomass heating products.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 9013) Repeals the requirement to conduct the biofuels infrastructure study.
Title X: Horticulture - (Sec. 10001) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the collection and dissemination of specialty crop market news.
(Sec. 10002) Repeals the specialty crop movement-to-market program.
(Sec. 10003) Amends the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976 to change the name of the farmers' market promotion program to the farmers' market and local food promotion program.
Expands the program's purposes to include development of local food business enterprises.
Gives program priority to projects that benefit underserved communities, including communities that: (1) are located in areas of concentrated poverty with limited access to fresh locally or regionally grown foods, and (2) have not received program benefits in the recent past.
Provides CCC funding for FY2014-FY2018.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 10004) Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 regarding organic production and market data initiatives to: (1) require the Secretary to report to Congress annually, (2) provide additional funding, and (3) authorize appropriations through FY2018.
Amends the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 regarding the national organic program to: (1) replace the permanent authorization of appropriations with one through FY2018, (2) modernize database and technology systems, and (3) make specified CCC funds available for FY2014.
Provides CCC funding for the national organic certification cost-share program for FY2014-FY2018.
Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to exempt from a commodity promotion assessment any person that produces, handles, markets, or imports any agricultural commodity certified as organic or 100% organic.
Authorizes the Secretary to issue an organic commodity promotion order that includes any agricultural commodity that is: (1) produced, handled, and certified to be sold or labeled as organic or 100% organic; or (2) imported with a valid organic certificate.
(Sec. 10005) Sets forth investigatory and enforcement requirements under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.
(Sec. 10006) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for food safety education initiatives.
(Sec. 10007) Amends the Plant Protection Act to consolidate the plant pest and disease management and disaster prevention program and the National Clean Plant Network.
Obligates specified CCC funding for the Network.
Authorizes specified appropriations for: (1) FY2014-FY2017, and (2) FY2018 and subsequent fiscal years.
(Sec. 10008) Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to eliminate the requirement that a person must notify EPA of the arrival of a plant-incorporated protectant contained in a seed if:
(Sec. 10009) Amends the Export Apple Act to exempt the bulk bin shipment of apples to Canada from specified Apple Export Act requirements.
(Sec. 10010) Amends the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary to make grants to states through FY2018 to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.
Authorizes specified appropriations for: (1) FY2014-FY2017, and (2) FY2018 and subsequent fiscal years.
Bases grants on value and acreage instead of the value of production.
Directs the Secretary to issue guidance for making multi-state project grants involving food safety, plant pests and disease, and crop-specific projects addressing common issues. Authorizes funds through FY2018.
(Sec. 10011) Directs the Secretary to consult with the Secretary of Labor (DOL), with regard to the restraining or confiscation of agricultural commodities by DOL for actual or suspected labor law violations, in order to consider:
(Sec. 10012) Directs the Secretary to report to FDA on how a federal standard for honey would be in the interest of consumers, the honey industry, and U.S. agriculture.
(Sec. 10013) Requires two reports to Congress on approaches and actions taken by EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service to implement recommendations of the report "Assessing Risks to Endangered and Threatened Species from Pesticides."
(Sec. 10014) Directs the Secretary to lift the administrative stay imposed by a 2011 USDA rule establishing an industry-funded promotion, research, and information program for fresh cut Christmas trees.
(Sec. 10015) Directs EPA to exclude nonpesticidal sources of fluoride from aggregate exposure assessments required by the FFDCA when assessing tolerances associated with residues from the pesticide.
(Sec. 10016) Directs the Secretary to:
(Sec. 10017) States that, in the case of a program established or amended by this title that is authorized or required to be carried out using CCC funds, the use of such funds for technical assistance shall not be considered a CCC allotment or fund transfer for purposes of the expenditure limit for technical assistance under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
Title XI: Crop Insurance - (Sec. 11001) Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Farm Service Agency to give an agent or approved insurance provider with information to assist in insuring a producer.
(Sec. 11002) Requires the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to publish on its website information on violations of the prohibition on premium adjustments.
(Sec. 11003) Makes available to crop producers a supplemental coverage option to cover part of a crop insurance policy deductible.
Gives a producer the option of purchasing additional coverage based on an individual yield and loss basis, supplemented with coverage based on an area yield and loss basis, in addition to: (1) an individual yield and loss basis, or (2) an area yield and loss basis.
Triggers such option only if area losses exceed 14% of normal levels.
States that: (1) coverage shall not exceed the difference between 86% and a policy's underlying coverage level, and (2) acres under ARC or the stacked income protection plan are ineligible for the supplemental coverage option.
Requires the FCIC to cover 65% of the premium for supplemental coverage option, and begin coverage no later than crop year 2015.
(Sec. 11004) Makes crop margin coverage available as a single policy or in combination with a yield or revenue loss policy.
(Sec. 11005) Reduces the premium for each crop for which catastrophic risk protection is available by the percentage equal to the difference between the average loss ratio for the crop and 100%, plus a reasonable reserve.
(Sec. 11006) Makes permanent the pilot program under which the FCIC pays a portion of the premiums for insurance plans or policies for which the insurable unit is defined as a whole farm or enterprise unit.
(Sec. 11007) Makes separate enterprise units available for irrigated and non-irrigated acreages of crops beginning with crop year 2015.
(Sec. 11008) Requires the FCIC, in determining yields, to use: (1) county data collected by the Risk Management Agency and/or the National Agricultural Statistics Service, or (2) other appropriate data if sufficient county data is not available.
(Sec. 11009) Revises the adjustment in actual production history used to establish insurable yields.
(Sec. 11010) Requires the FCIC to: (1) review and submit to the Board of Directors any policy or pilot program to carry out research and development for new crop insurance policies that will protect producers and result in a marketable policy and improved coverage, and (2) make an additional annual reimbursement through reinsurance year 2015 to insurance companies selling specialty crop policies.
Authorizes the Board, if specified criteria are met by the insurance applicant, to approve: (1) up to 50% of the projected research and development costs in advance; and (2) an additional 25% advance payment if the intended insurance policy or plan will provide coverage for a region or crop that is underserved by the federal crop insurance program, including specialty crops.
(Sec. 11011) Requires an applicant, as part of the development of a policy for fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, to consult with producer groups in all major producing areas.
(Sec. 11012) Requires, with respect to a renegotiated Standard Reinsurance Agreement, that: (1) any savings must be used for programs administered by the Risk Management Agency, and (2) the new Agreement be budget neutral to the extend practicable.
(Sec. 11013) Requires FCIC to establish procedures to allow insured producers no more than 120 days to settle claims involving corn determined to have low test weight.
(Sec. 11014) Revises the definition of "native sod," with respect to the requirement that the land has never been tilled, to include ground the producer cannot substantiate has ever been tilled.
Reduces federal crop insurance and noninsured crop disaster assistance benefits for native sod acreage that has been planted to an annual crop during the first four crop years of its planting in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska. (Current law makes native sod acreage during the first five crop years of planting ineligible for benefits.)
(Sec. 11015) Authorizes a producer that grows an agricultural commodity on both dry land and irrigated land to elect a different insurance coverage level for each production practice beginning with crop year 2015.
(Sec. 11016) Defines "beginning farmer or rancher" as a farmer or rancher who has not actively operated and managed a farm or ranch with a bona fide insurable interest in a crop or livestock as an owner-operator, landlord, tenant, or sharecropper for more than five crop years.
Requires an additional 10% of crop insurance premium assistance for a beginning farmer or rancher.
(Sec. 11017) Requires the FCIC, beginning not later than the 2015 upland cotton crop, to make available to producers of maximum eligible acres of upland cotton an additional insurance policy (the stacked income protection plan) which may be purchased as a stand-alone policy or purchased in addition to any other individual or area policy.
Requires coverage for revenue loss of between 10% and 30% of expected county revenue.
Establishes an 80% premium subsidy. States that the plan is in addition to all other coverages available to upland cotton producers.
(Sec. 11018) Requires the FCIC and the Risk Management Agency, beginning with the 2015 crop, to make available a revenue crop insurance program for peanuts based on a price equal to the Rotterdam price index for peanuts, as adjusted to reflect the farmer stock price of peanuts in the United States.
(Sec. 11019) Requires the FCIC to allow insurance providers to correct certain unintentional errors in producer-provided information.
(Sec. 11020) Directs the Secretary to: (1) maintain and upgrade FCIC information management systems used in the administration and enforcement of this title, and (2) implement an acreage reporting streamlining initiative to permit producers to report acreage and other information directly to USDA.
(Sec. 11021) Authorizes the FCIC to use certain funds beginning in FY2014 to: (1) reimburse expenses for the operations and review of policies and insurance plans, and (2) assist in maintaining program financial soundness.
(Sec. 11022) Requires the FCIC to offer to enter or enter a contract for research and development for insuring:
Requires research and development also to develop a whole farm risk management insurance plan (with liability of up to $1.5 million).
Directs the FCIC to contract for feasibility studies:
(Sec. 11023) Requires FCIC to offer organic crop producers by the 2015 reinsurance year price elections for all organic crops produced in compliance with USDA standards that reflect actual retail or wholesale prices.
(Sec. 11024) Authorizes the FCIC to enter into partnerships with public and private entities to increase risk management tools for producers or improve compliance.
(Sec. 11025) Eliminates the requirement that the FCIC evaluate pilot programs.
(Sec. 11026) Authorizes the FCIC to: (1) conduct two or more pilot programs to provide financial assistance for producers of under-served crops and livestock (including specialty crops) to purchase an index-based weather insurance product from a private insurance company, and (2) pay up to 60% of the premium for producers that purchase an approved insurance policy or plan from an approved provider.
Prohibits an underserved crop insurance policy or plan from providing coverage substantially similar to privately available hail insurance.
Requires the FCIC to use certain fund for FY2015-FY2018.
(Sec. 11027) Defines "farm financial benchmarking" as: (1) the process of comparing the performance of an agricultural enterprise against the performance of other similar enterprises through the use of comparable data in order to identify business management strengths, weaknesses, and steps necessary to improve performance and profitability; and (2) benchmarking of the type conducted by farm management and producer associations pursuant to the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.
Authorizes the FCIC to enter into partnerships with public and private entities to provide producers with training and informational opportunities to be better able to use farm financial benchmarking.
Requires grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to promote the education of agricultural producers about farm financial benchmarking.
Requires crop insurance and risk management education programs to emphasize farm financial benchmarking as a risk management strategy.
(Sec. 11028) Makes technical amendments.
Title XII: Miscellaneous - Subtitle A: Livestock - (Sec. 12101) Directs the Secretary to amend a specified rule under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 implementing the voluntary trichinae certification program to include a requirement to establish an alternative trichinae certification process based on surveillance or other methods consistent with international standards for categorizing compartments as having negligible trichinae risk.
Amends the Animal Health Protection Act to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the trichinae certification program.
(Sec. 12102) Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to: (1) direct the Secretary, through the Agricultural Marketing Service, to establish a grant program to enhance the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products in the United States; and (2) fund the program through the CCC.
(Sec. 12103) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the national aquatic animal health plan.
(Sec. 12104) Directs the Secretary, through the Office of the Chief Economist, to conduct an economic analysis of the USDA's proposed rule "Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling of Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Goat Meat, Wild and Farm-raised Fish and Shellfish, Perishable Agricultural Commodities, Peanuts, Pecans, Ginseng and Macadamia Nuts."
Applies country of origin labeling requirements to venison.
(Sec. 12105) Directs the Secretary to offer to enter into contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements with eligible laboratories to:
Authorizes appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 12106) Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act to: (1) define "catfish" as all fish of the order Siluriformes, and (2) require that inspections consider the conditions under which catfish are raised and transported to a processing establishment.
Directs the Secretary to issue the final rule on catfish inspection within 60 days, and implement it within 1 year.
Directs the Secretary to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to:
States that this section shall take effect as if enacted as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
(Sec. 12107) Requires USDA to continue to administer the diagnostic surveillance program for H5/H7 low pathogenic avian influenza with respect to commercial poultry without amending certain regulations on the governance of the General Conference Committee.
Maintains funding for the National Poultry Improvement Plan for Commercial Poultry at FY2013 levels.
(Sec. 12108) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Secretary should recognize the threat feral swine pose to the domestic swine population and the entire agriculture industry, and (2) feral swine eradication is a high priority that should be carried out under the authorities of the Animal Health Protection Act.
Subtitle B: Socially Disadvantaged Producers and Limited Resource Producers - (Sec. 12201) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to require CCC funding through FY2018 for outreach and assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (includes veteran farmers and ranchers in the program).
Defines "veteran farmer or rancher" as a farmer or rancher who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces and who: (1) has not operated a farm or ranch, or (2) has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 years.
(Sec. 12202) Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for the Office of Advocacy and Outreach.
(Sec. 12203) Amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary to award a grant to a college or university eligible to receive certain funds, including Tuskegee University, to establish the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center.
Subtitle C: Other Miscellaneous requirements - (Sec. 12301) Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize appropriations through FY2018 for grants to improve the supply, stability, safety, and training of the agricultural labor force.
(Sec. 12302) States that program benefits under this Act will not be denied to eligible individuals solely on the basis of participation in a one-time study of recharge potential for the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas.
(Sec. 12303) Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish an Office of Tribal Relations within the Office of the Secretary.
(Sec. 12304) Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in USDA a position of Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison to inform returning veterans about beginning farmer training, agricultural vocational and rehabilitation programs, and advocate on their behalf to USDA staff.
(Sec. 12305) Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to provide coverages based on individual yields (other than for value-loss crops) under the noninsured crop disaster assistance program equivalent to: (1) catastrophic risk protection (as under current law), or (2) specified additional coverage.
Includes sweet sorghum and biomass sorghum in the program.
Increases the program payment limit to $125,000 per person per crop year.
Makes assistance available to producers of an otherwise eligible crop that suffered losses: (1) to a 2012 annual fruit crop grown on a bush or tree, and (2) in a county covered by a USDA declaration of a natural disaster for production losses due to a freeze or frost.
Reduces the premium for additional coverage by 50% for limited resource, beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers.
Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to exclude crops and grasses used for grazing from catastrophic risk protection coverage.
(Sec. 12306) Authorizes: (1) the Secretary to make grants to state and tribal governments and research institutions to promote the domestic maple syrup industry, and (2) program appropriations through FY2018.
(Sec. 12307) Amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to:
(Sec. 12308) Amends the Animal Welfare Act to exempt a dealer or exhibitor from licensing requirements under the Animal Welfare Act if the Secretary determines the business to be de minimus.
Prohibits any person from knowingly attending an animal fighting venture or causing a person under 16 years old to attend one. Establishes federal criminal penalties for such violations.
(Sec. 12309) Directs the Secretary to make available to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) technical assistance related to the identification of produce falsely represented as U.S.-grown.
(Sec. 12310) Directs the Secretary of State to report annually to Congress on efforts by Mexico to meet its treaty deliveries of water to the Rio Grande in accordance with the Treaty between the United States and Mexico Respecting Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande.
(Sec. 12311) Requires FDA, when publishing its final rule ''Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption," to include an analysis of the scientific information used to promulgate the rule, as well as an economic impact analysis of it.
(Sec. 12312) Extends through FY2014 funding for payments to local governments based on the presence of non-taxable federal entitlement lands.
(Sec. 12313) Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to exempt from national pollutant discharge elimination system permit requirements specified silviculture activities, including nursery operation, site preparation, reforestation and subsequent cultural treatment, thinning, prescribed burning, pest and fire control, harvesting operations, surface drainage, and road use, construction, and maintenance.
States that this exemption does not apply to other Clean Water Act or other federal permitting requirements.
(Sec. 12314) Establishes in the Treasury the Pima Agriculture Cotton Trust Fund. Requires CCC funding through calendar 2018.
(Sec. 12315) Establishes in the Treasury the Agriculture Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund to reduce the injury to domestic manufacturers from wool fabric tariffs that are higher than tariffs on certain apparel articles made of wool fabric. Requires CCC funding through calendar 2019.
(Sec. 12316) Requires FY2015-FY2019 funds from the CCC for grants for wool research and promotion grants.
Subtitle D: Oilheat Efficiency, Renewable Fuel Research and Jobs Training - Oilheat Efficiency, Renewable Fuel Research and Jobs Training Act of 2014 - (Sec. 12404) Amends the National Oilheat Research Alliance Act of 2000 to: (1) require the National Oilheat Research Alliance to give the Secretary of Energy (DOE) with a list of qualified nominees for Alliance membership, and (2) revise membership criteria.
(Sec. 12405) Includes among Alliance functions research to: (1) develop renewable fuels; and (2) examine the compatibility of different renewable fuels with oilheat fuel utilization equipment, with priority given to research on the development and use of advanced biofuels.
Changes the Alliance's proposed budget from annual to biennial.
(Sec. 12406) Establishes the assessment rate of 2/10 of 1 cent per gallon of oilheat fuel. (Currently such rate is 2/10 of 1 cent per gallon of No. 1 distillate and No. 2 dyed distillate.)
Prohibits assessments from being passed through or otherwise required to be paid by residential consumers of oilheat fuel.
Requires a qualified state association to deposit funds received under this Act in an account separate from its other funds.
Directs the Alliance to ensure that at least 30% of assessments collected for each calendar year are used by qualified state associations or the Alliance to conduct research, development, and demonstration activities relating to oilheat fuel, including development of energy-efficient heating and the transition and facilitation of the entry of energy-efficient heating systems into the marketplace.
Directs the Alliance to:
(Sec. 12407) Repeals: (1) the requirement for an annual analysis of oilheat price changes relative to other energy sources (market survey); and (2) the restriction of Association activities to research and development, training, and safety matters if in any year the five-year average price composite index of consumer grade oilheat exceeds a certain amount.
(Sec. 12408) Prohibits the use of funds derived from assessments collected by the Alliance for lobbying purposes.
(Sec. 12409) Directs the Secretary of Commerce to notify Congress and the Alliance website in the event of any noncompliance with this Act by the Alliance, a qualified state association, or any other person or entity.
(Sec. 12410) Extends the sunset date for the National Oilheat Research Alliance program from 9 to 18 years after the date on which it was established.
By Senator Stabenow from Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry filed written report under authority of the order of the Senate of 08/01/2013. Report No. 113-88. Additional views filed.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 1 hour of debate on the Conference report to accompany H.R. 2642.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H1500)
Conference report agreed to in House: On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 251 - 166 (Roll no. 31).(consideration: CR H1500-1501)
Roll Call #31 (House)Motions to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On agreeing to the conference report Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 251 - 166 (Roll no. 31). (consideration: CR H1500-1501)
Roll Call #31 (House)Conference papers: Senate report and manager's statement and message on House action held at the desk in Senate.
Conference report considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S619, S627-647)
Cloture motion on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2642 presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S619; text: CR S619)
Conference report considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S666-667, S667-677, S678-690, S693-695, S695-697)
Enacted as Public Law 113-79
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On passage Failed by recorded vote: 195 - 234 (Roll no. 286).
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Nutrition.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Rural Development, and Credit.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (text of measure as introduced: CR S48-156)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Cloture on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2642 invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 72 - 22. Record Vote Number: 20. (consideration: CR S689-690; text: CR S689)
Conference report considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S710, S710-726, S729-734, S735-736)
Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 68 - 32. Record Vote Number: 21.
Roll Call #21 (Senate)Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 68 - 32. Record Vote Number: 21.
Roll Call #21 (Senate)Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 113-79.
Became Public Law No: 113-79.