Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities Act

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Latest Action

Mar 28, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.

Summaries (1)

Introduced in House - Mar 6, 2025 00

Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and Communities ActThis bill reauthorizes through FY2029 and modifies the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) Program. This Department of Agriculture (USDA) program provides grants to nonprofit institutions to help individuals and businesses start, expand, or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses through Rural Cooperative Development Centers.USDA must give preference to grants that commit to providing technical assistance and other services to socially vulnerable, underserved, or distressed communities. Under current law, USDA must give preference to underserved and economically distressed areas in rural areas.In addition, USDA may give an additional preference to applications that commit to providing a 25% matching contribution for the center with private funds and in-kind contributions. Specifically, USDA may award the maximum points in application scoring criteria to applicants that satisfy this requirement.Under the bill, cooperative development includes activities (e.g., outreach, education, training, and technical assistance) to support the startup, expansion, or ongoing sustainability of new and existing cooperatives. Current law does not define cooperative development.The bill directs the RCDG interagency working group to submit an annual report to Congress on its activities.Finally, the program currently includes cooperative research program requirements to collect data on the effects of all types of cooperatives on the national economy. Under the bill, USDA must analyze the data resulting from the research and include the data and analysis in the annual report to Congress.

Actions (4)

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development.

Type: Committee | Source: House committee actions | Code: H11000

Mar 28, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Type: IntroReferral | Source: House floor actions | Code: H11100

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: Intro-H

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: 1000

Mar 6, 2025

Subjects (1)

Agriculture and Food (Policy Area)

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

(R-CA)
Mar 6, 2025

Text Versions (1)

Introduced in House

Mar 6, 2025

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Full Bill Text

Length: 2,829 characters Version: Introduced in House Version Date: Mar 6, 2025 Last Updated: Nov 13, 2025 6:36 AM

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1951 Introduced in House

(IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1951

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize
rural cooperative development grants.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 6, 2025

Mr. Riley of New York (for himself and Mr. Valadao) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize
rural cooperative development grants.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1.

This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and
Communities Act''.

SEC. 2.

Section 310B (e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.

(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
(7 U.S.C. 1932

(e) ) is amended--

(1) in paragraph

(1) , by adding at the end the following:
``
(C) Cooperative development.--The term
`cooperative development' means activities including
outreach, education, training, and technical
assistance, to support the startup, expansion, or
ongoing sustainability of new and existing
cooperatives.'';

(2) in paragraph

(4) , by inserting ``, and award maximum
points in scoring criteria to applicants that satisfy the
requirements of paragraph

(5)
(F) ,'' before ``if the plan'';

(3) in paragraph

(5) , by striking subparagraph
(D) and
inserting the following:
``
(D) commit to providing technical assistance and
other services to socially vulnerable, underserved, or
distressed communities;'';

(4) in paragraph

(6)
(B) , by striking ``If the Secretary
determines it to be in the best interest of the program, the''
and inserting ``The'';

(5) in paragraph

(10) , by adding at the end the following:
``The Secretary shall analyze the data resulting from the
research, and include the data and the analysis in the annual
report submitted by the interagency working group under
paragraph

(12) .'';

(6) in paragraph

(12) , by adding at the end the following:
``Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this sentence and annually thereafter, the interagency working
group shall submit to the Congress a report describing the
activities carried out by the working group.''; and

(7) in paragraph

(13) , by striking ``2014 through 2023''
and inserting ``2025 through 2029''.
<all>

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1951 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1951

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize 
 rural cooperative development grants.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 6, 2025

 Mr. Riley of New York (for himself and Mr. Valadao) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reauthorize 
 rural cooperative development grants.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Rural Cooperatives and 
Communities Act''.

SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION OF RURAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

 

Section 310B

    (e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1932

    (e) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (1) , by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (C) Cooperative development.--The term 
 `cooperative development' means activities including 
 outreach, education, training, and technical 
 assistance, to support the startup, expansion, or 
 ongoing sustainability of new and existing 
 cooperatives.'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (4) , by inserting ``, and award maximum 
 points in scoring criteria to applicants that satisfy the 
 requirements of paragraph

    (5)
        (F) ,'' before ``if the plan'';

    (3) in paragraph

    (5) , by striking subparagraph
            (D) and 
 inserting the following:
 ``
            (D) commit to providing technical assistance and 
 other services to socially vulnerable, underserved, or 
 distressed communities;'';

    (4) in paragraph

    (6)
        (B) , by striking ``If the Secretary 
 determines it to be in the best interest of the program, the'' 
 and inserting ``The'';

    (5) in paragraph

    (10) , by adding at the end the following: 
 ``The Secretary shall analyze the data resulting from the 
 research, and include the data and the analysis in the annual 
 report submitted by the interagency working group under 
 paragraph

    (12) .'';

    (6) in paragraph

    (12) , by adding at the end the following: 
 ``Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
 this sentence and annually thereafter, the interagency working 
 group shall submit to the Congress a report describing the 
 activities carried out by the working group.''; and

    (7) in paragraph

    (13) , by striking ``2014 through 2023'' 
 and inserting ``2025 through 2029''.
 <all>

View original source ↗

119-hr1951