Strengthening Local Food Security Program

Subtitle A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 210B. Strengthening Local Food Security Program (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Beginning farmer or rancher The term beginning farmer or rancher has the meaning given the term in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a)). (2) Covered local producer The term covered local producer means, with respect to an eligible entity participating in the program, a fisherman, farmer, producer, rancher, processor, or cooperative processor that is— (A) within the geographic boundaries of the State of the eligible entity; or (B) not more than 400 miles from the delivery destination of the food. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a State agency, commission, or department that is responsible for agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, or other similar activities within the State. (4) Medium-size producer The term medium-size producer means an individual whose annual gross cash farm income is equal to or exceeds $350,000 but less than $999,999. (5) Program The term program means the program established under subsection (b). (6) Small-size producer The term small-size producer means an individual whose annual gross cash farm income is less than $350,000. (7) State The term State includes— (A) each territory or possession of the United States; and (B) each Federally recognized Indian Tribe. (8) Unprocessed or minimally processed foods The term unprocessed or minimally processed foods means agricultural products that retain their inherent character, including— (A) fruits and vegetables (including 100-percent juices); (B) grain products, such as pastas and rice; (C) milk and dairy products and eggs; (D) meat (including whole carcasses, pieces thereof, or ground meat), poultry, and seafood; (E) protein sources that are meat alternatives (such as beans or legumes) and fluid milk and other dairy foods (such as cheese and yogurt); and (F) foods in a wide variety of minimal processing states (such as whole, cut, or pureed) or forms (such as fresh, frozen, canned, or dried). (9) Veteran farmer or rancher The term veteran farmer or rancher has the meaning given the term in section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a)). (b) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall enter into cooperative agreements, on a noncompetitive basis, with eligible entities— (1) to support covered local producers by building and expanding economic opportunities for those covered local producers; (2) to establish and broaden partnerships with covered local producers and the food distribution community to ensure distribution of fresh (including fresh frozen) and nutritious foods; (3) to strengthen the local and regional food security and systems within the State of the eligible entity; and (4) to distribute food within the geographic boundaries of an eligible entity, including to hunger relief organizations and schools participating in school meal programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.). (c) Use of funds An eligible entity that enters into a cooperative agreement under the program shall use funds received under that cooperative agreement— (1) to purchase unprocessed or minimally processed foods from covered local producers; (2) to ensure that at least 51 percent of the total annual value of purchased unprocessed or minimally processed foods by the eligible entity comprises purchases from small-size producers, medium-size producers, beginning farmers or ranchers, or veteran farmers or ranchers; (3) to provide technical assistance to covered local producers, including— (A) in obtaining food safety training and certifications; and (B) to support efforts to grow the local agricultural value chain; (4) to distribute unprocessed or minimally processed foods from covered local producers to organizations, including nonprofit organizations, that have experience in food distribution to improve access to healthy and nutritious food; and (5) to build and expand economic opportunity for covered local producers. (d) Limitation on use of funds Of the amount made available to an eligible entity through a cooperative agreement under the program, an eligible entity may use not more than 25 percent for administrative expenses, of which not less than 35 percent shall be used to provide the technical assistance described in subsection (c)(3). (e) Technical assistance to eligible entities The Secretary shall provide to eligible entities entering into a cooperative agreement under the program guidance, technical assistance, instruction, and monitoring throughout the duration of the cooperative agreement. (f) Food safety training and certification (1) In general The Secretary may require food purchased by an eligible entity under a cooperative agreement entered into under the program to be purchased from a farm that has undergone food safety training or received a relevant food safety certification with respect to production, packaging, handling, and storage to minimize risks of food safety hazards. (2) Federal certification not required The Secretary shall not require a food safety certification described in paragraph (1) to be a Federal certification. (g) Amount of allocation Of the amounts made available to carry out this section for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall— (1) first allocate 10 percent to Tribal governments, to be allocated using a funding formula determined by the Secretary; (2) of the amounts remaining after making the allocation under paragraph (1), allocate 1 percent to each State (other than Tribal governments); and (3) after making the allocations under paragraphs (1) and (2), allocate the remaining amounts to each eligible entity (other than Tribal governments) by applying the formula described in section 214 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7515). (h) Funding (1) Authorization of appropriations In addition to other amounts made available under this subsection, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. (2) Mandatory funding Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall make available to carry out this section $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028, to remain available until expended..