text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Local Food for Healthy Families Act 
  of 2013''.
  
  SEC. 2. LOCAL FOOD FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
  (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary unless the 
  context specifies otherwise) shall establish the Local Food for Healthy 
  Families Program for the purpose of making grants to certain entities 
  to carry out projects to provide incentives to low-income families 
  receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to 
  purchase fruits and vegetables.
      (b) Administrative Costs.--Not more than 10 percent of the funds 
  made available to carry out this Act for a fiscal year may be used by 
  the Secretary to administer, evaluate, and monitor this Act for such 
  fiscal year.
      (c) Advisory Committee.--The Secretary shall convene an advisory 
  committee composed of representatives of organizations that have prior 
  experience implementing local fruit and vegetable incentive programs to 
  advise him on the design of the Local Food for Healthy Families 
  Program.
  
  SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.
  
      (a) Applications.--Subject to subsection (b), to be eligible to 
  receive a grant to carry out a project under this Act, the following 
  entities may submit to the Secretary an application that contains such 
  information and assurances, at such time and in such form, as the 
  Secretary may require by rule:
              (1) Private nonprofit entities.
              (2) Agricultural cooperatives.
              (3) Producer networks or associations.
              (4) Community health organizations.
              (5) Public benefit corporations.
              (6) Economic development cooperatives.
              (7) Farmers' markets.
              (8) Community supported agriculture programs.
              (9) Buying clubs.
              (10) Retail food stores that participate in the 
          supplemental nutrition assistance program.
              (11) State, local, or tribal agencies.
      (b) Required Assurance.--An application submitted under subsection 
  (a) shall include an assurance that the applicant will impose on 
  recipients of incentives under this Act the same terms and conditions 
  that apply to purchases made by individuals using supplemental 
  nutrition assistance program benefits.
  
  SEC. 4. PRIORITY.
  
      In making grants under section 2, the Secretary shall give priority 
  to eligible entities that--
              (1) are located in underserved communities,
              (2) provide locally produced fruits and vegetables,
              (3) maximize the share of funds used for direct incentives 
          to participants,
              (4) use direct-to-consumer sales marketing,
              (5) demonstrate a track record of designing and 
          implementing successful nutrition incentive programs that 
          connect low-income consumers and agricultural producers,
              (6) develop innovative linkages between for-profit and 
          nonprofit organizations, and
              (7) address other criteria as established by the Secretary.
  
  SEC. 5. MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT.
  
      (a) Federal Share of Costs.--Not more than 50 percent of the cost 
  of any project for which a grant is made under section 2 may be paid 
  with Federal funds.
      (b) Non-Federal Share of Costs.--An eligible entity that applies 
  for a grant under section 2 shall agree to provide not less than 50 
  percent of the cost of the project for which application is submitted 
  from non-Federal sources, except that--
              (1) an eligible entity that is a nonprofit entity may value 
          in cash or in-kind (fairly evaluated) its share of the cost of 
          such project, and
              (2) an eligible entity that is a for-profit entity may 
          value only in cash (and may not include services of an 
          employee, including salaries paid or expenses covered by the 
          employer) its share of the cost of such project.
  
  SEC. 6. INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS.
  
      The Secretary shall provide for an independent evaluation of each 
  project for which a grant is made under this Act. Such evaluation 
  shall--
              (1) measure the impact of such project on--
                      (A) improving the nutrition and health status of 
                  families that participate in projects carried out under 
                  this Act, and
                      (B) increasing the quantity of fruits and 
                  vegetables purchased by such families, and
              (2) use rigorous methodologies capable of producing 
          scientifically valid information regarding the effectiveness of 
          such project.
  
  SEC. 7. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND RELATED INFORMATION.
  
      (a) Technical Assistance.--In carrying out this Act, the Secretary 
  may provide technical assistance regarding the operation of the Local 
  Food for Healthy Families Program to entities that request such 
  information.
      (b) Sharing Information.--The Secretary may provide for sharing of 
  information concerning the operation of the Local Food for Healthy 
  Families Program, the operation of projects carried out under such 
  program, and the issues arising from such program and such projects, 
  with and among--
              (1) governmental, for-profit, and nonprofit groups, and the 
          public through publications, conferences, and other appropriate 
          forums, and
              (2) researchers, practitioners, and other interested 
          persons.
  
  SEC. 8. TREATMENT OF FUNDS.
  
      (a) In General.--The value of any incentive provided under this Act 
  to a participating family shall not be considered income or resources 
  for any purpose under any Federal, State, or local law.
      (b) No Limitation on Benefits.--A grant made available under this 
  Act shall not be used to carry out any project that limits the use of 
  benefits provided under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
  2011 et seq.) or any other Federal nutrition law.
      (c) Household Allotment.--Incentives provided under this Act to 
  families that receive supplemental nutrition assistance program 
  benefits shall not--
              (1) be considered to be part of such benefits; or
              (2) be used in the collection or disposition of claims 
          under section 13 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 
          U.S.C. 2022).
  
  SEC. 9. APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS.
  
      Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the 
  Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary to carry out 
  the Local Food for Healthy Families Program $20,000,000 for each of the 
  fiscal years 2014 through 2018.
target: Local Food for Healthy Families Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the local food for healthy families program to make grants to specified entities to provide low-income families receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) with incentives to purchase fruits and vegetables.
feat_title: Local Food for Healthy Families Act of 2013