This bill reauthorizes and modifies several Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that address
commodity support,
crop insurance,
conservation,
food assistance,
nutrition,
farm credit,
beginning farmers and ranchers,
food waste,
research and educational programs,
animal welfare, and
regional food systems.
The bill modifies agriculture and nutrition policies to
repeal the Agriculture Risk Coverage Program and the Price Loss Coverage Program;
impose additional limits on farm subsidies;
extend crop insurance premium subsidies to farmers who plant crops to reduce erosion;
require recipients of farm subsidies to comply with additional conservation requirements;
authorize increased funding for conservation programs;
authorize additional assistance under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for organic farmers;
establish a loan program for conservation-based structural improvements;
increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits;
establish tax credits for the sale of qualified farming property to socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, veteran farmers or ranchers, and beginning farmers or ranchers (and the purchase of farming property by such farmers or ranchers);
establish the Office of Food Waste within USDA;
authorize additional funding for research and education programs;
establish an independent animal welfare certification tax credit;
require USDA to comply with certain animal welfare standards at federal agricultural research centers; and
expand grant and loan programs for local and regional food systems.
