To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a disaster response training program to train certain Farm Service Agency employees to provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by a natural disaster, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8138 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8138 To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a disaster response training program to train certain Farm Service Agency employees to provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by a natural disaster, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 26, 2024 Mr. Soto (for himself and Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a disaster response training program to train certain Farm Service Agency employees to provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by a natural disaster, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN FARM SERVICE AGENCY EMPLOYEES. (a) In General.--Subtitle E of title I of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``SEC. 1502. DISASTER RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN FARM SERVICE AGENCY EMPLOYEES. ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, shall-- ``(1) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, establish a disaster response training program-- ``(A) to train covered employees-- ``(i) to provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by a natural disaster, including by providing information on available disaster relief assistance; and ``(ii) with respect to the appropriate protocols for assisting such farmers a