1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014”.
Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014
A BILL
To amend the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 to establish a Community Gardens Pilot Program, and for other purposes.
2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
A community garden improves the quality of life, encourages self-reliance, produces highly nutritious food, reduces family food budgets, and creates opportunities for recreation, social interaction, exercise, education, and economic development for people participating in the garden.
The creation of community gardens has been an effective approach to cleaning up and maintaining abandoned vacant lots.
Many community gardens donate fresh fruits and vegetables to local food pantries, cooperatives, and homeless members of the community, and provide for a source of fresh fruits and vegetables for participants of the gardens.
An August 2013 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists entitled “The $11 Trillion Reward” concluded that if Americans were to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit daily, as recommended by Federal dietary guidelines, nearly 130,000 deaths could be prevented and $17 billion could be saved in medical costs.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends eating more dark green vegetables, legumes, and fruits; and eating fewer refined grains, less fat, and fewer calories.
A 2010 review of the Nutritional Implications of Farmers’ Markets and Community Gardens published by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that community gardens promote healthy behaviors.
A 2011 pilot study entitled “LA Sprouts” published by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that teaching gardening and nutrition improved the dietary intakes of children and reduced childhood obesity.
3. Community Garden Pilot Program
Purpose— Section 103(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4953(a)) is amended—
in paragraph (12) by striking “and” at the end;
in paragraph (13) by striking the period and inserting “; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(14) in establishing initiatives that address the health and nutrition of individuals in low-income and underserved communities, including by—
“(A) creating new community gardens and supporting and expanding existing community gardens;
“(B) recruiting local community members to actively engage in community gardens and gardening projects;
“(C) transforming vacant places into community garden plots;
“(D) increasing access for community members to healthy foods and local foods while also encouraging community members to stay active;
“(E) expanding anti-poverty efforts by teaching basic nutrition and self-reliance through community gardening programs; and
“(F) developing initiatives that increase access to healthy, locally grown foods for the community at large.”
Establishment— Part A of title I of such Act (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“110. Community Garden Pilot Program
“(a) The Director shall establish a Community Garden Pilot Program for the purpose of carrying out the work described under section 103(a)(14). In conducting the Program, the Director shall carry out no less than 40 projects.
“(b) In carrying out the Program established under subsection (a), the Director shall give priority to—
“(1) volunteers with experience in health, nutrition, and gardening;
“(2) projects located in varied geographic regions; and
“(3) selecting a balance of urban and rural projects.”
redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
“(3) Community Garden Pilot Program—There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 110 of part A of title I $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and such sums shall remain available until expended.”
Clerical amendment— The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 4950) is amended by adding after the item relating to section 109 the following new item:
4. Report
Not later than 90 days after the completion of the Community Garden Pilot Program established under section 110(a) of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951(a)), the Assistant Director appointed pursuant to section 194(d)(1)(A) of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12651e(d)(1)(A)), shall submit to Congress a report containing—
a description of the projects and volunteer placements under the Program;
results and analysis of completed projects under the Program; and
any recommendations for continuation of the Program.