Definitions

In this Act: (1) Beginning farmer, fisherman, or rancher The term beginning farmer, fisherman, or rancher means a person that— (A) (i) has not operated a farm, fishing business, or ranch; or (ii) has operated a farm, fishing business, or ranch for not more than 10 years; and (B) meets such other criteria as the Secretary may establish. (2) Certification program The term certification program means a program that uses qualified, independent auditors to carry out routine, in-person or on-farm assessments of compliance of a producer or business with publicly available standards that are developed with input from key stakeholders and subject matter experts and exceed conventional industry standards and applicable Federal or State legal requirements. (3) Covered authority The term covered authority means— (A) section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c); (B) the matter under the heading REMOVAL OF SURPLUS AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES under the heading Agricultural Marketing Service in title I of Public Law 88–250 (7 U.S.C. 612c–1); (C) section 10603 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 612c–4); (D) section 4404 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 612c–5); (E) section 14222 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 612c–6); and (F) any other purchasing authority of the Department of Agriculture. (4) Covered entity The term covered entity means a nonprofit organization or a for-profit organization that is a processor, distributor, or food hub that sources at least 51 percent of its value from covered producers. (5) Covered producer The term covered producer means— (A) a beginning farmer, fisherman, or rancher; (B) a veteran farmer, fisherman, or rancher; (C) a socially disadvantaged farmer, fisherman, or rancher; or (D) a producer on a small or medium-sized farm or ranch. (6) Fishing business The term fishing business means a business engaged in commercial fishing (as defined in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802)). (7) Indian Tribe The term Indian Tribe means an Indian tribe included on the list published by the Secretary of the Interior under section 104 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131). (8) Native Alaskan The term Native Alaskan has the meaning given the term Native in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602). (9) Native Hawaiian The term Native Hawaiian has the meaning given the term in section 801 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4221). (10) Nonprofit organization The term nonprofit organization means an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code. (11) Policy to limit deforestation The term policy to limit deforestation means a policy that includes, at a minimum, the following: (A) Measures to identify the point of origin of forest-risk commodities and ensure compliance with the policy when supply chain risks are present. (B) Data detailing the complete list of direct and indirect suppliers and supply chain traceability information for each forest-risk commodity found in products that may be furnished to the Federal Government, including— (i) refineries, processing plants, farms, and plantations; (ii) the respective owners, parent entities, and farmers of the entities described in clause (i); (iii) maps; and (iv) geolocations. (C) Measures taken to ensure that each commodity described in subparagraph (B) does not contribute to deforestation. (D) Measures taken to ensure the process of obtaining the free, prior, and informed consent of indigenous peoples and local communities directly affected by the production of commodities described in subparagraph (B). (E) Measures taken to protect biodiversity and prevent the poaching of wildlife and trade in bushmeat in all operations and areas adjacent to the production of commodities described in subparagraph (B). (F) Measures taken to ensure compliance with the laws of countries where forest-risk commodities in the supply chain of the contractor are produced. (12) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. (13) Small or medium-sized farm or ranch The term small or medium-sized farm or ranch means a farm or ranch that— (A) has an annual gross cash farm income of less than $999,999; or (B) meets another acreage-based definition of small or medium, as determined by the Secretary, that takes into consideration— (i) the State or region in which the farm or ranch is located; (ii) the production system of the farm or ranch; or (iii) both. (14) Socially disadvantaged farmer, fisherman, or rancher The term socially disadvantaged farmer, fisherman, or rancher means a farmer, operator of a fishing business, or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group (as defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))). (15) Tradeoff process The term tradeoff process means a tradeoff process described in part 15.101–1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (or a successor regulation). (16) Veteran farmer, fisherman, or rancher The term veteran farmer, fisherman, or rancher means a farmer, operator of a fishing business, or rancher who has served in the Armed Forces (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and who— (A) has not operated a farm, fishing business, or ranch; (B) has operated a farm, fishing business, or ranch for not more than 10 years; or (C) is a veteran (as defined in that section) who has first obtained status as a veteran (as so defined) during the most recent 10-year period.