USDA 2007 Farm Bill Proposals - US Department of Agriculture

accountable for these errors. (For further information, see the proposal entitled “FoodStamp Program: Streamlining and Modernizing Proposals” on pages 90 – 91.)3. Strengthen provisions to further improve program integrity by limiting categoricaleligibility to those that receive only TANF or SSI cash benefits. Allow flexibility in theassessment of retailer fines in certain circumstances. Allow the Secretary, in certainegregious trafficking cases, to seize and transfer funds to the Treasury; prohibit theexchange of food purchased with food stamp benefits for cash. Authorize USDA tocharge State agencies five percent of administrative costs if the State is more than fiftypercent above the national negative error rate for two consecutive years. Remove the newinvestment option for States sanctioned for improper payments for three consecutiveyears. (For further information, see the proposal entitled “Improve Food Stamp ProgramIntegrity” on pages 92 – 94.)4. Strengthen efforts to integrate nutrition education into the food stamp program byrecognizing that nutrition education is a component of the program and investing $100million to establish a five-year competitive grants demonstration program targeted atdeveloping and testing solutions to the rising rates of obesity. (For further information,see the proposal entitled “Food Stamp Program: Improving Health through NutritionEducation” on pages 95 – 96.)Other Food Assistance Programs1. Recognize the permanency of The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Stateplans and remove barriers for local organizations to more effectively compete to participatein the program. (For further information, see the proposal entitled “The Emergency FoodAssistance Program (TEFAP)” on pages 97 – 98.)2. Increase funding by $27 million over 10 years to better reflect the actual administrative costsof the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) and provide a structuredmethod for allocating administrative funds among the Indian Tribal Organizations (ITO).Align nutrition assistance program disqualification policies to ensure that those barred fromparticipation in FDPIR for intentional program violations are also disqualified fromparticipation in the food stamp program. (For further information, see the proposal entitled“Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)” on pages 99 – 100.)3. Exclude the value of the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits for tax purposesand when determining eligibility for any Federal or State means-tested programs; prohibitStates from participating in the SFMNP if state or local sales tax is collected within the Stateon food purchased with SFMNP benefits. (For further information, see the proposal entitled“Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)” on pages 101 – 102.)Promoting Healthy Diets1. Support school efforts to provide meals based on the most recent Dietary Guidelines forAmericans. Invest $6 million in mandatory funding to conduct a survey of foods purchasedby school food authorities with Federal cash assistance once every 5 years. (For furtherinformation, see the proposal entitled “Promoting Healthful Diets in Schools” on pages 103 –104.)2. Provide new mandatory funding for the purchase of additional fresh fruits and vegetables foruse in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. This $500 million of fundingover 10 years represents a net increase in the total purchase of fruits and vegetables forUSDA 2007 Farm Bill Proposals Page 85 of 183