YourVoice.Now Summary
Your MoneyCorporate BenefitsTransparency & AccountabilityUSDA could pay states up to $200M a year (2026–2030) to buy food from small farms for local food banks, if Congress funds it.
Your Money
USDA could send states up to $200 million a year from 2026 through 2030 to buy fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy from small farms, then give it to food banks. This is only authorized — Congress still has to approve the actual spending each year.
Corporate Benefits
States could use the new funds only to buy from small businesses that are underserved (such as women- or veteran-owned) or that are beginning farmers or family farms. Larger, non-qualifying farms could not sell into this program.
Transparency & Accountability
USDA would have to tell Congress how well the new food-purchase program worked, including whether it helped nutrition and local farms, no later than four years after the program starts.
More about this bill
If you get food from a local food bank, you could see more fresh food from nearby farms. This bill would let the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) send money to states. States could use it to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy from small and family farms. Food banks and pantries would then give that food to people in need. The money is only authorized, not guaranteed: up to $200 million a year for 2026 through 2030. Congress would still need to approve that spending each year. Small farms, women- and veteran-owned food businesses, and beginning farmers could sell into this program if their state joins. USDA must issue guidance to states within 180 days after the bill becomes law. USDA must also report to Congress on how well the program worked, within four years. Most people who don't use a food bank or run a small farm would not notice a change.
Congressional Summary
Expanding Access To Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act or the EAT Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act This bill amends The Emergency Food Assistance Program to authorize the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to provide funds for states to purchase priority agricultural products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains) from eligible small businesses and distribute them to needy persons through emergency feeding organizations. Eligible small businesses under this FNS program include growers, packers, processors, distributors, food-hubs, or cooperatives that are (1) underserved (e.g., women-owned or veteran owned); or (2) composed of or source agricultural products from beginning farmers or small or mid-sized farms that are structured as family farms. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must also create a cross-agency working group to review and reconsider how USDA's procurement of priority agricultural products can be directed to support a wider range of agricultural producers and product distributors in a manner that meets goals such as nutrition security, resilient local and regional food systems, and rural job creation.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-12-12
- Date Added
- 2026-09-19
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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