Sponsors (73)
Creates a USDA program with CCC funding to buy local foods, reserve 10% for Tribes, and require 25% of purchases from small/mid/beginning/veteran producers.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under which the Secretary will enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments increase the purchase of local foods, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Robert P. Bresnahan · Last progress July 29, 2025
The bill channels predictable federal funding to boost local producers and improve fresh-food access—especially for small and tribal producers—but requires recurring federal spending and imposes operational constraints and geographic limits that could burden state agencies and exclude some suppliers.
Federal program funding: The federal government will provide predictable mandatory funding (via the CCC) of $200 million per year starting FY2026, ensuring continuous resources for local food purchasing and distribution.
Local producers will gain a stable market because eligible entities must purchase local foods and reserve at least 25% of purchases for small, mid-size, beginning, and veteran farmers.
Low-income and rural communities will have improved access to fresh, unprocessed or minimally processed foods through funded distribution to experienced distributors and nonprofits.
Taxpayers will face increased mandatory federal spending of roughly $200 million per year (with an additional $200 million authorized for FY2026–2030), increasing the federal fiscal outlay.
State agencies may face increased administrative burdens to comply with reporting requirements, allocation formulas, and the 25% small-producer purchase mandate.
Program rules limiting administrative and technical assistance spending to 25% of funds (with at least half of that amount for TA) could constrain implementation flexibility and raise operational challenges for states and nonprofits.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new USDA program called the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities program that gives noncompetitive cooperative agreements to State agencies and federally recognized Tribes to buy and distribute unprocessed or minimally processed local foods. The program must target small, mid-size, beginning, and veteran producers (at least 25% of purchases), provide technical assistance and food-safety training, reserve funds for Tribal governments, and cap administrative/TA costs. Funds are provided through mandatory Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) authority at $200 million each fiscal year starting FY2026 and additionally authorized at $200 million annually for FY2026–2030, with guidance, monitoring, and an allocation formula specified for distributing money among eligible entities.