June 5, 2025
Ms. Salinas (for herself, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Balint, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Costa, Ms. DelBene, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Fields, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Stansbury, and Ms. Strickland) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to make commodities available for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Farmers Feeding America Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Availability of commodities for the Emergency Food Assistance Program
Section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036(a)) is amended—
(1)
by striking 2023
each place it appears (except in paragraph (2)(D)(ix)) and inserting 2030
; and
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
in subparagraph (D)—
(i)
in clause (viii), by striking and
at the end; and
(ii)
by adding at the end the following:
(x)
for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, $500,000,000; and; and
(B)
in subparagraph (E)—
(i)
by striking 2024
and inserting 2030
; and
(ii)
by striking specified in subparagraph (D)(ix)
and inserting described in subparagraph (D)(x)
.
Sec. 3. Emergency food program storage and distribution
Section 204(a)(1) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7508(a)(1)) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking $100,000,000
and inserting $200,000,000
.
Sec. 4. Emergency food program infrastructure grants
Section 209(d) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7511a(d)) is amended by striking 2023
and inserting 2030
.
Sec. 5. Geographically isolated States
Section 214 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7515) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
(3) Alternative delivery options for geographically isolated States
(A) Definition of geographically isolated State
In this paragraph, the term geographically isolated State means—
(i)
the State of Hawaii;
(ii)
the State of Alaska;
(iii)
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
(iv)
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
(v)
the Virgin Islands of the United States; and
(vi)
Guam.
(B) Alternative delivery options
At the request of a geographically isolated State, the Secretary shall coordinate with the geographically isolated State—
(i)
to establish alternative delivery options for commodities allocated to that geographically isolated State under this section to ensure that the geographically isolated State is able to receive those commodities; and
(ii)
to allow for the geographically isolated State to order commodities through the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
(C) Direct purchase option
The Secretary may transfer to a geographically isolated State the cash value of not more than 20 percent of the commodities allocated to that geographically isolated State under this section to be used by the geographically isolated State to procure domestically grown food in lieu of receipt of those commodities.; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following:
(e) Fresh produce packages
(1) In general
In purchasing fresh produce packages to provide under the program established under this Act, the Secretary may consider additional factors beyond lowest price in determining winning bids for contracts for those fresh produce packages, including product variety and transportation distance.
(2) Nutrition
The Secretary shall carry out paragraph (1) in a manner that maintains the goal of maximizing the amount of nutritious food available through the program described in that paragraph.