Bill Summary
This bill aims to temporarily suspend the matching funds requirement for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program and the Value Added Producer Grant Program. The matching funds requirement typically requires recipients of grants under these programs to provide a certain amount of matching funds, but this bill would waive that requirement for grants awarded between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021. This would allow more farmers and local food producers to receive funding for these programs and promote the growth of local food systems.
Possible Impacts
1. Farmers and local food producers may be able to receive government grants without having to provide matching funds, allowing them to invest more in their businesses and potentially expand their operations.
2. The waiver may lead to an increase in the availability and variety of locally grown and produced food products at farmers markets, benefiting both producers and consumers.
3. The waiver's time limit of three years may create a sense of urgency for farmers and food producers to take advantage of the funding opportunities, possibly resulting in a surge of new businesses or initiatives in the agricultural industry.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6682 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6682
To provide for a waiver of the matching funds requirement for the
farmers market and local food promotion program and value added
producer grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 1, 2020
Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire (for herself, Mr. Fortenberry, and Ms.
Pingree) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for a waiver of the matching funds requirement for the
farmers market and local food promotion program and value added
producer grant program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. WAIVER OF MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR THE FARMERS MARKET
AND LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM AND VALUE ADDED PRODUCER
GRANT PROGRAM.
The matching funds requirement under paragraph (5)(E) or (6)(E) of
section 210A(d) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C.
1627c(d)) shall not apply with respect to grants awarded under such
section during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on
December 31, 2021.
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