Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential (MAPLE) Act
Supporting All Producers Act or the SAP Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to solicit input from maple industry stakeholders with respect to the research and education priorities of the maple industry for the Acer Access and Development Program (Acer). Specifically, the bill amends Acer to require USDA to consider the information provided through consultation with the maple industry when making program grants.The bill also extends the program's authorization through FY2030.As background, Acer provides competitive grants to states, tribal governments, and research institutions to support their efforts to promote the domestic maple syrup industry through activities associated with, among other things, the promotion of (1) research and education related to maple syrup production, and (2) natural resource sustainability in the maple syrup industry.
Adds honey to the list of approved foods for purchase in the WIC "Farmer's Market Nutrition Program"
Include maple syrup, maple product production to agriculture law
This bill increases the authorization of appropriations for the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives for each fiscal year. The bill also requires that there be a minimum of four regionally-located DBI Initiatives, instead of the currently required three.Under the Agricultural Marketing Service, the DBI Initiatives support dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products. The current program includes four DBI Initiatives selected to provide direct technical assistance and subawards to dairy businesses, including for niche dairy products and dairy products derived from cow milk, sheep milk, and goat milk.
Salad Bars in Schools Expansion ActThis bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish and implement a plan, including through a five-year program of competitive grants, to promote the use of salad bars in schools participating in the school lunch program.Priority in the award of grants may be given to entities (i.e., a school or a school food authority) that (1) serve schools in which at least 50% of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, (2) serve schools in food deserts, or (3) provide nutrition education to students. Under the bill, food desert is defined as a census tract with a substantial share of residents who live in low-income areas that have low levels of access to a grocery store or a healthy, affordable food retail outlet.Eligible entities must use the grant funds to award schools a one-time payment for the anticipated cost of installing a salad bar, including the purchase of any required durable equipment.USDA must also submit a report to Congress that includes recommendations for promoting and establishing more salad bars in schools.
Protect Local Farms ActThis bill provides that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) preempts any state law that establishes a maximum workweek (i.e., the maximum number of hours an employee is permitted to work without receiving overtime pay) of less than 60 hours for agricultural employees. Under the FLSA, agricultural employees are generally exempt from federal overtime requirements. However, federal overtime requirements currently do not preempt state laws that provide greater protections to employees.
Farewell to Unnecessary Energy Lifelines Reform Act of 2025 or the FUEL Reform Act This bill repeals Title IX (Energy) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (i.e., the 2002 farm bill). The title authorizes various energy programs that are administered by the Department of Agriculture and primarily provide support and incentives for renewable energy projects. For example, these programs include the BioPreferred Program; the Rural Energy for America Program; and the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program.
Surveilling Effluent Water for Epidemic Response Act or the SEWER ActThis bill provides statutory authority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) program, which detects and monitors pathogens in wastewater. It requires the CDC to expand and intensify the activities of the NWSS, including with respect to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), influenza, mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The NWSS provides funding and guidance to public health departments for wastewater surveillance activities. Under the NWSS, health departments and other partners coordinate on wastewater surveillance at sampling sites and share data with the CDC. The NWSS was initially implemented to monitor SARS-CoV-2 and has since expanded to include influenza A, avian influenza A, mpox, and RSV.
Directs the department of agriculture and markets to increase the number of regional farmers' markets for the direct marketing of foods and produce produced in the state.