Farmers’ Market Local Revitalization Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4866 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4866

To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to expand investment in farmers' markets and farmers' market nutrition programs to strengthen communities and improve access to healthy food, and for other purposes.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 23, 2026

Mr. Bennet introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

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A BILL

To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to expand investment in farmers' markets and farmers' market nutrition programs to strengthen communities and improve access to healthy food, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Farmers' Market Local Revitalization Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are-- (1) to increase and enhance funding for farmers' market nutrition programs-- (A) to better support seniors, food-insecure families, and income-eligible mothers, infants, and children; and (B) to increase market opportunities for local farmers; and (2) to promote equitable access and support a phased transition to a more modernized farmers' market nutrition program.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR SENIOR FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM.

Section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007) is amended-- (1) in the section heading, by striking ``seniors'' and inserting ``senior''; (2) by striking ``seniors farmers' market nutrition program'' each place it appears and inserting ``senior farmers' market nutrition program''; (3) in subsection (a)-- (A) by striking ``$20,600,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2023'' and inserting ``$75,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031''; (B) by striking ``Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary of Agriculture'' and inserting the following: ``(1) Commodity credit corporation.--Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the `Secretary')''; and (C) by adding at the end the following: ``(2) Authorization of appropriations.-- ``(A) In general.--In addition to the amounts made available under paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out subsection (c) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. ``(B) Allocation formula.-- ``(i) State amounts.--Until the date on which a rule is promulgated under clause (ii), the additional amounts made available under subparagraph (A) shall be allocated to States based on the number of seniors with household incomes at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line. ``(ii) Revised formula.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Farmers' Market Local Revitalization Act of 2026, the Secretary shall promulgate a rule establishing a revised formula for allocating funds under this section, which shall-- ``(I) take into account-- ``(aa) the population of low-income seniors; ``(bb) senior food insecurity rates; and ``(cc) rurality and cost- to-serve factors; and ``(II) include hold-harmless provisions limiting decreases in benefit amounts to not more than 10 percent during the first 2 years of implementation of the revised formula. ``(3) Nonparticipant set-aside.-- ``(A) In general.--Of the total amounts made available under this section, not less than 10 percent shall be reserved for States, territories, and Indian Tribes that did not participate in the program under this section in the prior fiscal year. ``(B) General availability.--If the amount reserved under subparagraph (A) is not fully utilized in a fiscal year, that amount shall be available in the subsequent fiscal year for all States participating in the program.''; (4) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (g) through (j), respectively; and (5) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: ``(c) Benefit Enhancement.--The additional amounts made available under subsection (a)(2)(A) shall be used-- ``(1) to increase the minimum individual benefit available under the senior farmers' market nutrition program to $35; ``(2) to remove the maximum individual benefit limit under the senior farmers' market nutrition program; ``(3) to support a phased transition to electronic incentive delivery, including technical assistance and investments that allow farmers and seniors to continue using existing redemption models during the transition, with an emphasis on interoperability; and ``(4) to allow State agencies to establish eligibility criteria for program participation, which may include household income, participation in nutrition programs for seniors, geographic isolation, or other indicators of need. ``(d) Approved Aggregators.--States shall allow up to 50 percent of the benefit amount provided to participants in the senior farmers' market nutrition program to be redeemed through community supported agriculture, food hubs, or other approved aggregators that purchase directly from farms, including home delivery models. ``(e) Payment Technologies.--The Secretary shall-- ``(1) allow States to use electronic benefit transfer or mobile payment technologies for redemption of benefits under the senior farmers' market nutrition program; and ``(2) encourage States to implement payment technologies that are interoperable with other Federal nutrition benefit programs, including-- ``(A) the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); ``(B) the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), including the farmers' market nutrition program under that program; and ``(C) the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program established under section 4405 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517). ``(f) Technical Assistance.-- ``(1) In general.--Of the amounts made available under this section, not more than $25,000,000 per fiscal year shall be provided to State agencies, territories, and Indian Tribes to provide training and technical assistance-- ``(A) to support infrastructure improvements at farmers' markets and other eligible outlets, including modernization of equipment to integrate electronic benefit transfer, mobile payment technologies, and other nutrition benefit programs; ``(B) to assist rural markets and farmers in expanding capacity to serve low-income seniors; ``(C) to provide on-the-ground support to facilitate the transition to electronic incentive delivery for seniors and participating producers; and ``(D) in the case of States, territories, or Indian Tribes that have not previously participated in the program under this section, in establishing and administering the program. ``(2) Third party.--A State agency, territory, or Indian Tribe may contract with a third-party entity to provide the training and technical assistance described in paragraph (1). ``(3) Allocation.--The amount made available under paragraph (1) shall be allocated in accordance with the allocation formula under subsection (a)(2)(B).''.

SEC. 4. MINIMUM INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT INCREASE UNDER WIC FARMERS' MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM.

Section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``(4) Subject to'' and inserting the following: ``(4) Formula for amount of grant.--Subject to''; (2) in paragraph (5)-- (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``(5) Each State'' and inserting the following: ``(5) Grant requirements.--Each State''; (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``funds--'' in the matter preceding clause (i) and all that follows through the period at the end of clause (ii) and inserting ``funds provided under the grant.''; (C) in subparagraph (C)-- (i) in clause (i), by striking ``$10'' and inserting ``$35''; and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``$30'' and inserting ``$60''; (D) in subparagraph (F)-- (i) in clause (i), by striking ``17'' and inserting ``18''; and (ii) in clause (iii), by striking ``meet the requirements of paragraph (3)'' and inserting ``carry out the program''; and (E) by adding at the end the following: ``(H) The State may use not more than 10 percent of the total amount of program funds in a fiscal year for technology modernization and related administrative activities, subject to the condition that those funds are not needed to maintain caseload or participant benefits. ``(I) Voluntary state share.--A State may provide additional State, local, or private funds for the program.''; (3) in paragraph (6)-- (A) by striking ``(6)(A) The Secretary'' and inserting the following: ``(6) Funding to states.-- ``(A) In general.--The Secretary''; (B) by indenting subparagraphs (B) through (F) and the clauses and subclauses therein appropriately; (C) in subparagraph (A), in the second sentence, by striking ``subparagraph (G)'' and inserting ``subparagraph (F)''; (D) in subparagraph (B)-- (i) in clause (i), by striking ``Subject to'' and all that follows through ``paragraph (3), the State'' and inserting ``A State''; and (ii) in clause (ii)-- (I) by striking ``paragraph (10)'' and inserting ``paragraph (9)''; and (II) by striking ``paragraph (6)'' and inserting ``this paragraph''; (E) in subparagraph (C)(iv), by striking ``subparagraph (G)(i)'' each place it appears and inserting ``subparagraph (F)(i)''; (F) in subparagraph (D)(ii), in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking ``this paragraph'' and inserting ``this subparagraph''; and (G) in subparagraph (F)(iii), by striking ``paragraph (10)(B)(ii)'' and inserting ``paragraph (9)(B)(ii)''; (4) in paragraph (7)-- (A) by striking ``(7)(A) The value'' and inserting the following: ``(7) Other federal and state assistance programs.-- ``(A) In general.--The value''; and (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the designation and all that follows through ``Any programs'' and inserting the following: ``(B) Supplement to nutrition assistance.--Any programs''; (5) in paragraph (8)-- (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``(8) For each'' and inserting the following: ``(8) Collection of state information.--For each''; and (B) by indenting subparagraphs (A) through (F) appropriately; (6) in paragraph (9)-- (A) by indenting the paragraph designation and heading appropriately; (B) in subparagraph (B)-- (i) in clause (ii), by striking ``(ii) The Secretary'' and inserting the following: ``(ii) Reallocation procedures.--The Secretary''; (ii) in clause (i)(II), by striking ``(II) Notwithstanding'' and inserting the following: ``(II) Reimbursement for expenses incurred.--Notwithstanding''; and (iii) by striking ``(B)(i)(I) Each State'' and inserting the following: ``(C) Unobligated balances.-- ``(i) Return to secretary.-- ``(I) In general.--Subject to subclause (II), each State''; and (C) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the following: ``(A) Mandatory funding.--There is appropriated, out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Secretary to carry out this subsection $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. ``(B) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to amounts otherwise made available to carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection.''; (7) by striking paragraphs (3) and (10); (8) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and (9) by striking ``(m)(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for the purposes of this subsection, and as specified in this subsection, the Secretary'' and inserting the following: ``(m) Women, Infants, and Children Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.-- ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection: ``(A) Coupon.--The term `coupon' means a coupon, voucher, or other negotiable financial instrument by which benefits provided under this section are transferred. ``(B) Program.--The term `program' means-- ``(i) the State farmers' market coupon nutrition program authorized by this subsection (as in effect on September 30, 1991); and ``(ii) the farmers' market nutrition program authorized by this subsection. ``(C) Recipient.--The term `recipient' means a person or household, as determined by the State, that is-- ``(i) chosen by a State to receive benefits under this subsection; or ``(ii) included on a waiting list to receive those benefits. ``(D) State agency.--The term `State agency' includes-- ``(i) a State department of agriculture; and ``(ii) any other agency approved by the chief executive officer of the State. ``(2) Grant program.--The Secretary''.

SEC. 5. STUDY.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a study-- (1) to identify opportunities to better align the delivery and redemption of benefits across farmers' market programs and nutrition incentive programs under the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) for a more streamlined experience for shoppers and vendors; (2) to determine the feasibility of integrated or interoperable technology systems to reduce the number of platforms that farmers and markets manage; (3) to determine actions to reduce administrative burden in the senior farmers' market nutrition program under section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007) and the farmers' market nutrition program under section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)), including by minimizing duplicative applications, reporting requirements, and transaction systems for farmers, markets, and retailers; and (4) the feasibility and implications of creating an integrated, modernized farmers' market nutrition program under section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007) that serves seniors and households that participate in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786). (b) Consultation.--In carrying out the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with stakeholders, including States, markets, farmers, nonprofit organizations, and relevant payment technology providers. (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress containing-- (1) the results of the study under subsection (a); and (2) recommendations, including any legislative or administrative actions needed, relating to carrying out paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a).

SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Special Committee on Aging of the Senate, and the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives, a report that describes-- (1) the effect of this Act and the amendments made by this Act on-- (A) local procurement of food; (B) local farmers; and (C) emergency feeding organizations, including food banks, food pantries, and other community-based hunger relief partners; (2) the individuals and entities procuring food locally pursuant to this Act and the amendments made by this Act; and (3) the communities involved in programs carried out under this Act and the amendments made by this Act. <all>