---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6923"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6923"
heading: "Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6923"
units:
  - "Chapter 98 — Department of Agriculture Reorganization"
  - "Subchapter I — General Reorganization Authorities"
---

# §6923. Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

- (a) **Office—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall establish in the [Department](/usc/7/6902.md?p=1) an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.
  - (2) **Director—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall appoint a senior official to serve as the Director of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (referred to in this section as the “Director”).
  - (3) **Mission—** The mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production shall be to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including—
    - (A) community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters;
    - (B) rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls;
    - (C) indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms;
    - (D) hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities; and
    - (E) other innovations in agricultural production, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3).
  - (4) **Responsibilities—** The Director shall be responsible for engaging in activities to carry out the mission described in [paragraph (3)](#a-3), including by—
    - (A) managing programs, including for community gardens, urban farms, rooftop agriculture, and indoor vertical production;
    - (B) advising the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3);
    - (C) coordinating with the agencies and officials of the [Department](/usc/7/6902.md?p=1) to update relevant programs;
    - (D) engaging in stakeholder relations and developing external partnerships;
    - (E) identifying common [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) and municipal best practices for navigating local policies;
    - (F) coordinating networks of community gardens and facilitating connections to local food [banks](/usc/7/27.md?p=a), in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Service; and
    - (G) collaborating with other Federal agencies.
- (b) **Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall establish an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (referred to in this subsection as the “Committee”) to advise the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) on—
    - (A) the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices; and
    - (B) any other aspects of the implementation of this section.
  - (2) **Membership—**
    - (A) **In general—** The Committee shall be composed of 12 members, of whom—
      - (i) 4 shall be individuals who are agricultural producers, of whom—
        - (I) 2 individuals shall be agricultural producers located in an urban area or urban cluster; and
        - (II) 2 individuals shall be farmers that use innovative technology;
      - (ii) 2 shall be representatives from an institution of higher education or extension program;
      - (iii) 1 shall be an individual who represents a nonprofit organization, which may include a public health, environmental, or community organization;
      - (iv) 1 shall be an individual who represents business and economic development, which may include a business development entity, a chamber of commerce, a city government, or a planning organization;
      - (v) 1 shall be an individual with supply chain experience, which may include a food aggregator, wholesale food distributor, food hub, or an individual who has direct-to-consumer [market](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) experience;
      - (vi) 1 shall be an individual from a financing entity; and
      - (vii) 2 shall be individuals with related experience or expertise in urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3).
    - (B) **Initial appointments—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall appoint the members of the Committee not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018.
  - (3) **Period of appointment; vacancies—**
    - (A) **In general—** Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#b-3-B), a member of the Committee shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.
    - (B) **Initial appointments—** Of the members first appointed to the Committee—
      - (i) 4 of the members, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3), shall be appointed for a term of 3 years;
      - (ii) 4 of the members, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3), shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and
      - (iii) 4 of the members, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3), shall be appointed for a term of 1 year.
    - (C) **Vacancies—** Any vacancy in the Committee—
      - (i) shall not affect the powers of the Committee; and
      - (ii) shall be filled as soon as practicable in the same manner as the original appointment.
    - (D) **Consecutive terms—** An initial appointee of the committee may serve an additional consecutive term if the member is reappointed by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3).
  - (4) **Meetings—**
    - (A) **Frequency—** The Committee shall meet not fewer than 3 times per year.
    - (B) **Initial meeting—** Not later than 180 days after the date on which the members are appointed under [paragraph (2)(B)](#b-2-B), the Committee shall hold the first meeting of the Committee.
  - (5) **Duties—**
    - (A) **In general—** The Committee shall—
      - (i) develop recommendations and advise the Director on policies, initiatives, and outreach administered by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production;
      - (ii) evaluate and review ongoing research and extension activities relating to urban, indoor, and other innovative agricultural practices;
      - (iii) identify new and existing barriers to successful urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices; and
      - (iv) provide additional assistance and advice to the Director as appropriate.
    - (B) **Reports—** Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Committee is established, and every 2 years through 2023, the Committee shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3), the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing the recommendations developed under [subparagraph (A)](#b-5-A).
  - (6) **Personnel matters—**
    - (A) **Compensation—** A member of the Committee shall serve without compensation.
    - (B) **Travel expenses—** A member of the Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with [section 5703 of title 5](/usc/5/5703.md).
  - (7) **Termination—**
    - (A) **In general—** Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#b-7-B), the Committee shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the members are appointed under [paragraph (2)(B)](#b-2-B).
    - (B) **Extensions—** Before the date on which the Committee terminates, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) may renew the Committee for 1 or more 2-year periods.
- (c) **Grants—** The Director shall award competitive grants to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production to any of the following eligible entities:
  - (1) A nonprofit organization.
  - (2) A unit of local government.
  - (3) A Tribal government.
  - (4) Any school that serves any of grades kindergarten through grade 12.
- (d) **Pilot projects—**
  - (1) **Urban and suburban county committees—**
    - (A) **In general—** Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2018, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall establish a pilot program for not fewer than 5 years that establishes 10 county committees in accordance with [section 590h(b)(5)(B)(ii)(II) of title 16](/usc/16/590h.md?p=b-5-B-ii-II) to operate in counties located in urban or suburban areas with a high concentration of urban or suburban farms.
    - (B) **Effect—** Nothing in this paragraph requires or precludes the establishment of a Farm Service Agency office in a county in which a county committee is established under [subparagraph (A)](#d-1-A).
    - (C) **Report—** For fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter through fiscal year 2023, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing a summary of—
      - (i) the status of the pilot program under [subparagraph (A)](#d-1-A);
      - (ii) meetings and other activities of the committees established under that subparagraph; and
      - (iii) the types and volume of assistance and services provided to farmers in counties in which county committees are established under that subparagraph.
  - (2) **Increasing community compost and reducing food waste—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3), acting through the Director, shall carry out pilot projects under which the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall offer to enter into cooperative agreements with local or municipal governments in not fewer than 10 [States](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) to develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.
    - (B) **Eligible entities and purposes of pilot projects—** Under a cooperative agreement entered into under this paragraph, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall provide assistance to municipalities, counties, local governments, or city planners, as appropriate, to carry out planning and implementing activities that will—
      - (i) generate compost;
      - (ii) increase access to compost for agricultural producers;
      - (iii) reduce reliance on, and limit the use of, fertilizer;
      - (iv) improve soil quality;
      - (v) encourage waste management and permaculture business development;
      - (vi) increase rainwater absorption;
      - (vii) reduce municipal food waste; and
      - (viii) divert food waste from landfills.
    - (C) **Evaluation and ranking of applications—**
      - (i) **Criteria—** Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2018, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall establish criteria for the selection of pilot projects under this paragraph.
      - (ii) **Consideration—** In selecting, undertaking, or funding pilot projects under this paragraph, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall consider any commonly known significant impact on existing food waste recovery and disposal by commercial, marketing, or business relationships.
      - (iii) **Priority—** In selecting a pilot project under this paragraph, the [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall give priority to an application for a pilot project that—
        - (I) anticipates or demonstrates economic benefits;
        - (II) incorporates plans to make compost easily accessible to agricultural producers, including community gardeners;
        - (III) integrates other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts; and
        - (IV) provides for collaboration with multiple partners.
    - (D) **Matching requirement—** The recipient of assistance for a pilot project under this paragraph shall provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both from sources other than funds provided through the grant in an amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of the grant.
    - (E) **Evaluation—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6902.md?p=3) shall conduct an evaluation of the pilot projects funded under this paragraph to assess different solutions for increasing access to compost and reducing municipal food waste, including an evaluation of—
      - (i) the amount of Federal funds used for each project; and
      - (ii) a measurement of the outcomes of each project.
- (e) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–354, title II, § 222, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title XII, § 12302, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4958.)