Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026

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D ScholtenSponsor

4 cosponsors · 1 D, 3 R

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a streamlined process for farmers and ranchers to provide benefits under certain federal nutrition programs.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Apr 21, 2026

Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a streamlined process for farmers and ranchers to provide benefits under certain federal nutrition programs. These programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

Specifically, USDA must establish a streamlined application process for farmers and ranchers to apply to be vendors under the nutrition programs, including by developing a single application for the programs or an information sharing system. USDA must also develop a streamlined process for these vendors to use standardized technology to process program benefits (such as a single piece of equipment or a mobile application).

Further, USDA must ensure that the program benefit processing equipment and systems made available by a state agency are appropriate for the entity. For example, this includes ensuring wireless or mobile processing equipment and technology systems are appropriate for farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer markets.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026

Latest action (Apr 21, 2026): Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Policy area: Agriculture and Food · Origin: House · Introduced: Apr 21, 2026

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.