Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act

This bill, introduced by Ms. Salinas and Mr. Valadao, aims to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants and technical assistance to rural areas for economic development and community improvement.

Key Points:

• Grant Program: Establishes a grant program for multiyear awards to coordinate investments in rural areas by various entities.
• Eligibility: Applicants must form partnerships involving different types of organizations to qualify for grants.
• Grant Usage: Grant funds can be used for various activities such as planning, public-private partnerships, and economic recovery from disasters.
• Matching Funds: Requires applicants to provide non-Federal matching funds, unless waived based on specific criteria.
• Technical Assistance Grants: Sets up a program to provide assistance to rural community organizations in managing Federal grants and projects.
• Network Establishment: Renames and enhances the Rural Partners Network to improve coordination and access to Federal programs for rural communities.

This bill emphasizes the importance of supporting rural areas, especially those facing economic distress, by providing resources, assistance, and coordination for sustainable development and prosperity.

Disapproval of Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay

Date: February 20, 2024

Submitted by: Mr. Jackson of Texas, Ms. Caraveo, Mr. Lucas, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Bost, Mr. Feenstra, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Finstad, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Chavez-Deremer, Mr. Nehls, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Norman, Mr. Babin, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Flood, and Mr. Pfluger

Referred to: Committee on Agriculture

Joint Resolution: Disapproval of Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled:

That Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of Agriculture relating to the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay. The rule, as stated in document 88 Fed. Reg. 77883, shall have no force or effect.

Signed,

Members of the House of Representatives

Bill Explanation - SUNRAY for Energy Act

This bill, known as the 'Securing and Understanding our National Renewable Agriculture Yields for Energy Act' or the 'SUNRAY for Energy Act', aims to require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study, research, and demonstration on agrivoltaic systems. Agrivoltaic systems involve integrating solar energy production and agricultural production on the same piece of land simultaneously during a solar project. The bill also proposes issuing guidance on best practices for protecting soil health and productivity when siting, constructing, operating, and decommissioning solar energy systems on agricultural land.

Key components of the bill include defining agrivoltaic systems, conducting a study on their impacts, developing a 5-year plan based on the study results, establishing a network of research and demonstration sites, and providing guidance on managing solar energy land to protect soil health and productivity.

The bill authorizes appropriations of $15,000,000 annually from 2024 to 2028 to carry out these initiatives.

H.R. 7380 - Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform Act of 2024 (PURR Act of 2024)

Summary

The bill aims to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide clarity and updates to the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regulating the marketing and labeling of companion animal pet food. The bill also aims to establish national uniformity in regulations for companion animal pet food marketing and labeling. The bill recognizes the growing pet food industry in the United States and the increasing interest by pet owners in understanding how their companion animals' food is regulated and produced. It notes that the previous regulatory framework for pet food did not adequately meet the needs of pets and their owners due to changes in pet ownership relationships and understanding of nutritional needs and preferences. The bill seeks to create a more streamlined federal regulatory process for pet food ingredients, improve marketplace certainty, and enhance companion animal nutrition through a unified comprehensive federal system of oversight on the manufacture and sale of pet food.

Key Points

• The pet food industry is growing in the United States, with increasing pet food exports and contribution to the national economy by buying agricultural products from farmers, ranchers, and farm-product processors.
• Pet ownership has also increased, leading to higher pet food sales and a greater interest in how companion animals' food is regulated and produced.
• Historically, pet food and livestock feed have been regulated under the same framework, but pet owners' understanding of pets' nutritional needs and preferences has changed, necessitating a separate regulatory framework for pet food.
• The previous regulatory framework for pet food marketing and labeling was multifaceted, inconsistent, and varied by state.
• The bill aims to establish a more streamlined federal regulatory process for new pet food ingredients, allowing for expedited advances in nutrition, greater innovation, and functionality.
• Replacing the patchwork of pet food regulation with a uniform federal regulatory framework improves marketplace certainty, promotes consistent ingredient review and market introductions, and enhances companion animal nutrition.
• The bill defines various terms related to pet food, including "companion animal," "pet food," "pet food ingredient," and provides regulations and guidelines for pet food labeling and marketing claims.
• The Secretary of Health and Human Services is responsible for issuing proposed and final regulations to implement the amendments made by this bill within specified timelines.