1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Growing Value-Added Economies Act . 2. Value-added agricultural product market development grants Section 231(b) of the ( 7 U.S.C. 1632a(b) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking paragraph (7) and inserting paragraph (10) ; (2) by striking paragraph (7); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraphs: (7) Peer review (A) In general The Secretary shall establish independent external review panels comprised of members with relevant expertise who are not employees of the Department to review and evaluate each eligible application based on merit and relevance. (B) Members of review panel Members assigned to a panel established under subparagraph (A) may include— (i) producers; and (ii) experts from colleges and universities, State and local agencies, private nonprofit organizations, industry, and related institutions. (C) Confidentiality The Secretary shall ensure that the identity of a member of a panel established under subparagraph (A) is, to the maximum extent practicable, confidential. (D) Conflicts of interest The Secretary shall ensure that no person with a conflict of interest may be assigned to be a member of a panel established under subparagraph (A). (8) Outreach and technical assistance The Secretary shall develop and implement an outreach and technical assistance strategy, including entering into cooperative agreements with private nonprofit entities, cooperative extension, State and local units of government, to— (A) further the purposes of the program established under this section