((a)) ** Definition of eligible entity** In this section, the term “eligible entity” means an emergency feeding organization.

((b)) ** Program authorized**

((1)) ** In general** The Secretary shall use funds made available under subsection (d) to make grants to eligible entities to pay the costs of an activity described in subsection (c).

((2)) ** Rural preference** The Secretary shall use not less than 50 percent of the funds described in paragraph (1) for a fiscal year to make grants to eligible entities that serve predominantly rural communities for the purposes of—

((A)) expanding the capacity and infrastructure of food banks, State-wide food bank associations, and food bank collaboratives that operate in rural areas; and

((B)) improving the capacity of the food banks to procure, receive, store, distribute, track, and deliver time-sensitive or perishable food products.

((c)) ** Use of funds** An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section for any fiscal year to carry out activities of the eligible entity, including—

((1)) the development and maintenance of a computerized system for the tracking of time-sensitive food products;

((2)) capital, infrastructure, and operating costs associated with the collection, storage, distribution, and transportation of time-sensitive and perishable food products;

((3)) improving the security and diversity of the emergency food distribution and recovery systems of the United States through the support of small or mid-size farms and ranches, fisheries, and aquaculture, and donations from local food producers and manufacturers to persons in need;

((4)) providing recovered foods to food banks and similar nonprofit emergency food providers to reduce hunger in the United States;

((5)) improving the identification of—

((A)) potential providers of donated foods;

((B)) potential nonprofit emergency food providers; and

((C)) persons in need of emergency food assistance in rural areas; and

((6)) constructing, expanding, or repairing a facility or equipment to support hunger relief agencies in the community.

((d)) ** Authorization of appropriations** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023.