Herb Kohl: “the 2002 farm bill authorized the Grants for Youth Program, an initiative to develop pilot programs and expand outreach…”

“the 2002 farm bill authorized the Grants for Youth Program, an initiative to develop pilot programs and expand outreach to youth in rural communities and small towns across the Nation. The Girl Scouts of the USA, Boy Scouts of America, National FFA Organization, and National 4-H Council will be key players in this initiative. The original Senate version of the fiscal year 2003 Agriculture appropriations bill included $6 million in funding for this new program. That funding was removed in the version before us. I am offering an amendment to restore $3 million in funding for the Grants for Youth program. This program will be funded through the USDA Extension Service. In view of enhanced need for funds for education and other Federal initiatives for our children, we should also support private efforts to bring programs like Girl scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H and Future Farmers of America to our underserved rural youth. It would be a mistake to keep these marvelous--and proven--youth programs from expanding to our rural areas.”