HR 2883 — NO TIME TO Waste Act

(a) Office (1) In general The Secretary shall establish in the Department an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. (2) Director The Secretary shall appoint a senior official to serve as the Director of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (referred to in this section as the “Director”). (3) Mission The mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production shall be to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including— (A) community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters; (B) rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls; (C) indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms; (D) hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities; and (E) other innovations in agricultural production, as determined by the Secretary. (4) Responsibilities The Director shall be responsible for engaging in activities to carry out the mission described in paragraph (3), including by— (A) managing programs, including for community gardens, urban farms, rooftop agriculture, and indoor vertical production; (B) advising the Secretary; (C) coordinating with the agencies and officials of the Department to update relevant programs; (D) engaging in stakeholder relations and developing external partnerships; (E) identifying common State and municipal best practices for navigating local policies; (F) coordinating networks of community gardens and facilitating connections to local food banks, in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Service; and (G) collaborating with other Federal agencies. (b) Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (1) In general Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018, the Secretary shall establish an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (referred to in this subsection as the “Committee”) to advise the Secretary on— (A) the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices; and (B) any other aspects of the implementation of this section. (2) Membership (A) In general The Committee shall be composed of 12 members, of whom— (i) 4 shall be individuals who are agricultural producers, of whom— (I) 2 individuals shall be agricultural producers located in an urban area or urban cluster; and (II) 2 individuals shall be farmers that use innovative technology; (ii) 2 shall be representatives from an institution of higher education or extension program; (iii) 1 shall be an individual who represents a nonprofit organization, which may include a public health, environmental, or community organization; (iv) 1 shall be an individual who represents business and economic development, which may include a business development entity, a chamber of commerce, a city government, or a planning organization; (v) 1 shall be an individual with supply chain experience, which may include a food aggregator, wholesale food distributor, food hub, or an individual who has direct-to-consumer market experience; (vi) 1 shall be an individual from a financing entity; and (vii) 2 shall be individuals with related experience or expertise in urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices, as determined by the Secretary. (B) Initial appointments The Secretary shall appoint the members of the Committee not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018. (3) Period of appointment; vacancies (A) In general Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a member of the Committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. (B) Initial appointments Of the members first appointed to the Committee— (i) 4 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 3 years; (ii) 4 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and (iii) 4 of the members, as determined by the Secretary, shall be appointed for a term of 1 year. (C) Vacancies ...

(a) In general Not later than 180 days after June 20, 2008, the Federal Acquisition Regulation issued in accordance with section 1303 of title 41 shall be revised to provide that all contracts above $25,000 for the provision, service, or sale of food in the United States, or for the lease or rental of Federal property to a private entity for events at which food is provided in the United States, shall include a clause that— (1) encourages the donation of excess, apparently wholesome food to nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to food-insecure people in the United States; and (2) states the terms and conditions described in subsection (b). (b) Terms and conditions (1) Costs In any case in which a contractor enters into a contract with an executive agency under which apparently wholesome food is donated to food-insecure people in the United States, the head of the executive agency shall not assume responsibility for the costs and logistics of collecting, transporting, maintaining the safety of, or distributing excess, apparently wholesome food to food-insecure people in the United States under this section. (2) Liability An executive agency (including an executive agency that enters into a contract with a contractor) and any contractor making donations pursuant to this section shall be exempt from civil and criminal liability to the extent provided under section 1791 of this title.