To prohibit certain practices relating to certain commodity promotion programs, to require greater transparency by those programs, and for other purposes.
Actions Overview (1)
Date
03/28/2017
Introduced in House
03/28/2017 Introduced in House
All Actions (2)
Date
03/28/2017
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture. Action By: House of Representatives
03/28/2017
Introduced in House Action By: House of Representatives
03/28/2017 Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Committees, subcommittees and links to reports associated with this bill are listed here, as well as the nature and date of committee activity and Congressional report number.
This bill establishes restrictions and requirements for checkoff programs, which are programs overseen by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands.
The bill prohibits boards established to carry out a checkoff program or a USDA order issued under a checkoff program from entering into a contract or agreement to carry out program activities with a party that engages in activities to influence any government policy or action that relates to agriculture.
A board or its employees or agents acting in their official capacity may not engage in any:
act that may involve a conflict of interest;
anticompetitive activity;
unfair or deceptive act or practice; or
act that may be disparaging to, or in any way negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product.
Upon approval of USDA, a board may enter directly into contracts and agreements to carry out generic promotion, research, or other activities authorized by law if the agreement or contract requires records accounting for the funds received to be submitted to the board.
The board must meet specified requirements regarding the publication of budgets and disbursements of funds.
The USDA Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office must conduct specified audits regarding checkoff programs.
All Summaries (1)
Shown Here: Introduced in House (03/28/2017)
Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act of 2017
This bill establishes restrictions and requirements for checkoff programs, which are programs overseen by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands.
The bill prohibits boards established to carry out a checkoff program or a USDA order issued under a checkoff program from entering into a contract or agreement to carry out program activities with a party that engages in activities to influence any government policy or action that relates to agriculture.
A board or its employees or agents acting in their official capacity may not engage in any:
act that may involve a conflict of interest;
anticompetitive activity;
unfair or deceptive act or practice; or
act that may be disparaging to, or in any way negatively portray, another agricultural commodity or product.
Upon approval of USDA, a board may enter directly into contracts and agreements to carry out generic promotion, research, or other activities authorized by law if the agreement or contract requires records accounting for the funds received to be submitted to the board.
The board must meet specified requirements regarding the publication of budgets and disbursements of funds.
The USDA Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office must conduct specified audits regarding checkoff programs.
