April 21, 2026
Ms. Scholten (for herself and Mr. Valadao) introduced the following bill; which was 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
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applications from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition programs, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Streamlining applications for farmers
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered nutrition program
The term covered nutrition program
means—
(A)
the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
(B)
the senior farmers’ market nutrition program established under section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007);
(C)
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
(D)
the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program established under section 4405 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517), as practicable with respect to the activities carried out by the Secretary under subsections (b) and (c).
(2) Secretary
The term Secretary
means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(b) Streamlined application process
(1) In general
The Secretary shall establish a streamlined application process—
(A)
for direct marketing farmers and ranchers to apply to be vendors under each of the covered nutrition programs; and
(B)
by—
(i)
developing a single application that a direct marketing farmer or rancher may use to apply to each of the covered nutrition programs; or
(ii)
developing an information sharing system that—
(I)
shares the information of a direct marketing farmer or rancher who is approved as an authorized vendor under a covered nutrition program with each of the other covered nutrition programs; and
(II)
deems that direct marketing farmer or rancher as a prequalified eligible vendor for those other covered nutrition programs.
(2) Report
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 of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report describing progress made in carrying out paragraph (1).
(c) Streamlined processing of benefits
The Secretary shall establish a streamlined process for direct marketing farmers and ranchers that are vendors under any of the covered nutrition programs to process benefits under those programs through the use of standardized technology, such as a single piece of equipment or a mobile application.
Sec. 3. Support for wireless and mobile equipment for certain entities
Section 7(f)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(f)(2)) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and
(2)
by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
(C) Requirement
The Secretary shall ensure that equipment or systems made available to entities described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (B) by a State agency or an implementing partner of a State agency is appropriate for the entity, including, with respect to farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer markets, wireless or mobile processing equipment and technology systems.