II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2659 

To provide increased financial assistance for farmers’ markets and farmers’ 

market nutrition programs, to increase local agricultural production 

through food bank in-house production and local farmer contracting, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 27, 2023 

Mr. BENNET (for himself, Mr. WELCH, and Mr. WYDEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To provide increased financial assistance for farmers’ markets and farmers’ market nutrition programs, to increase 

local agricultural production through food bank in-house 

production and local farmer contracting, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘Farmers’ Market and 

5 Food Bank Local Revitalization Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 


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1 (1) food insecurity, epidemic levels of obesity, 

2 hypertension, diabetes, and youth osteoporosis are 

3 caused by improper nutrition yielded by a lack of 

4 nutritious, reliable, and locally available healthy food 

5 options; 

6 (2) the American Diabetes Association esti7 mated a 41-percent increase in costs of diagnosed 

8 diabetes, from a cost of $174,000,000,000 in 2007 

9 to a cost of $245,000,000,000 in 2012, with 62 per10 cent of those costs coming from senior health pro11 grams such as Medicare and Medicaid; 

12 (3) since sequestration in 2008, there has been 

13 no funding increase for the senior farmers’ market 

14 nutrition program under section 4402 of the Farm 

15 Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 

16 U.S.C. 3007); 

17 (4)(A) from 2008 to 2020, the moderate at18 home food cost for a family of 2 individuals aged 51 

19 to 70 years old increased by an average of $70 per 

20 month; and 

21 (B) funding for the seniors farmers’ market nu22 trition program has not kept pace with that infla23 tion; 

24 (5) according to the Department of Agriculture, 

25 the seniors farmers’ market nutrition program is exVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:14 Aug 16, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2659.IS S2659

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1 periencing, across all participating States, terri2 tories, and Indian Tribes— 

3 (A) a total program funding backlog of 

4 $20,065,021; and 

5 (B) a seasonal benefit funding backlog of 

6 $16,120,741; 

7 (6)(A) approximately 1 in 10 United States 

8 senior citizens, or approximately 5,146,000 individ9 uals, are forced to live well below the Federal pov10 erty level; and 

11 (B) the seniors farmers’ market nutrition pro12 gram is only able to reach about 725,000 of those 

13 individuals due to inadequate funding; 

14 (7) since sequestration in 2008, funding for the 

15 women, infants, and children farmers’ market nutri16 tion program under section 17(m) of the Child Nu17 trition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)) has de18 creased by more than $6,000,000, with no subse19 quent increase to previous levels; 

20 (8) the women, infants, and children farmers’ 

21 market nutrition program is a vital safeguard for 

22 the nearly 1 in 7 children who will be— 

23 (A) born into poverty in the United States; 

24 and 

25 (B) at nutritional risk; 


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1 (9) according to the Department of Agriculture, 

2 the women, infants, and children farmers’ market 

3 nutrition program has a total program and seasonal 

4 benefit funding backlog of $6,198,432 across all par5 ticipating States, territories, and Indian Tribes; 

6 (10) in the United States, food banks provide 

7 meals to 1 in 7 individuals; 

8 (11)(A) many food banks share special relation9 ships with local farmers, who often donate crops to 

10 food banks; and 

11 (B) the relationships described in subparagraph 

12 (A) allow for more efficient and sustainable procure13 ment for food banks; 

14 (12) assisting food banks to grow their own 

15 food will aid local procurement and allow food banks 

16 to serve as farming resources to their communities, 

17 especially to individuals who are food-insecure; and 

18 (13) the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 

19 (Public Law 115–334; 132 Stat. 4490) (and amend20 ments made by that Act) specifically required an ex21 amination of methods to incorporate local products 

22 to reduce food waste. 

23 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 

24 (1) to increase and enhance funding for farm25 ers’ market nutrition programs— 


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1 (A) to support seniors and food-insecure 

2 families; and 

3 (B) to increase market capacity for local 

4 farmers; 

5 (2) to provide funding assistance for the expan6 sion and construction of farmers’ markets in rural 

7 and urban food desert areas; and 

8 (3) to increase local food production through— 

9 (A) encouraging partnerships of food 

10 banks and local farmers; and 

11 (B) the provision of funding to food banks 

12 to grow necessary produce through traditional 

13 or controlled environmental agriculture farming 

14 methods. 

15 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR SENIORS FARMERS’ MARKET 

16 NUTRITION PROGRAM. 

17 Section 4402(a) of the Farm Security and Rural In18 vestment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007(a)) is amended— 

19 (1) by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2028’’; 

20 (2) by striking ‘‘Of the funds of the Commodity 

21 Credit Corporation, the Secretary of Agriculture’’ 

22 and inserting the following: 

23 ‘‘(1) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION.—Of 

24 the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the 


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1 Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section 

2 as the ‘Secretary’)’’; and 

3 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the 

6 amounts made available under paragraph (1), 

7 there are authorized to be appropriated to the 

8 Secretary, for the purposes described in sub9 paragraph (B)— 

10 ‘‘(i) for fiscal year 2024, such sums 

11 as are necessary to ensure that not less 

12 than $60,000,000 is available under this 

13 paragraph and paragraph (1); 

14 ‘‘(ii) for fiscal year 2025, such sums 

15 as are necessary to ensure that not less 

16 than $70,000,000 is available under this 

17 paragraph and paragraph (1); and 

18 ‘‘(iii) for each of fiscal years 2026 

19 through 2028, such sums as are necessary 

20 to ensure that not less than $100,000,000 

21 is available under this paragraph and para22 graph (1). 

23 ‘‘(B) BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT.—The addi24 tional amounts made available under subpara25 graph (A) shall be used— 


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1 ‘‘(i) to increase the income limit for 

2 seniors farmers’ market nutrition program 

3 eligibility to 200 percent of the Federal 

4 poverty guideline; 

5 ‘‘(ii) to increase the minimum indi6 vidual benefit available under the seniors 

7 farmers’ market nutrition program to $35; 

8 and 

9 ‘‘(iii) to remove the maximum indi10 vidual benefit limit under the seniors farm11 ers’ market nutrition program.’’. 

12 SEC. 4. MINIMUM INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT INCREASE UNDER 

13 WIC FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PRO14 GRAM. 

15 Section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 

16 U.S.C. 1786(m)) is amended— 

17 (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘paragraph 

18 (6)’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘paragraph 

19 (7)’’; 

20 (2) in paragraph (5)— 

21 (A) by striking ‘‘paragraph (3)’’ each place 

22 it appears and inserting ‘‘paragraph (4)’’; and 

23 (B) in subparagraph (C)— 

24 (i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘$10’’ 

25 and inserting ‘‘$35’’; and 


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1 (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘$30’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘$60’’; 

3 (3) in paragraph (6)— 

4 (A) in subparagraph (A), in the second 

5 sentence, by striking ‘‘subparagraph (G)’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘subparagraph (F)’’; 

7 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

8 (i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘para9 graph (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (4)’’; 

10 and 

11 (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘para12 graph (6)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (7)’’; 

13 (C) in subparagraph (C)(iv), by striking 

14 ‘‘subparagraph (G)(i)’’ each place it appears 

15 and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (F)(i)’’; and 

16 (D) in subparagraph (D)(ii)— 

17 (i) in the matter preceding subclause 

18 (I), by striking ‘‘this paragraph’’ and in19 serting ‘‘this subparagraph’’; and 

20 (ii) in subclause (II), by striking 

21 ‘‘paragraph (5)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 

22 (6)’’; 

23 (4) in paragraph (9)— 

24 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 


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1 (i) by striking ‘‘necessary for each’’ 

2 and inserting the following: ‘‘necessary 

3 for— 

4 ‘‘(i) each’’; 

5 (ii) in clause (i) (as so designated), by 

6 striking the period at the end and inserting 

7 ‘‘; and’’; and 

8 (iii) by adding at the end the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(ii) each of fiscal years 2024 through 

11 2028.’’; and 

12 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

13 (i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘(ii) The 

14 Secretary’’ and inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘(ii) REALLOCATION PROCEDURES.— 

16 The Secretary’’; 

17 (ii) in clause (i)— 

18 (I) in subclause (II), by striking 

19 ‘‘(II) Notwithstanding’’ and inserting 

20 the following: 

21 ‘‘(II) REIMBURSEMENT FOR EX22 PENSES INCURRED.—Notwith23 standing’’; and 

24 (II) in subclause (I), by striking 

25 ‘‘allocated. The unexpended funds 


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1 shall be returned to the Secretary by’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘allocated, by not later 

3 than’’; and 

4 (iii) by striking ‘‘(B)(i)(I) Each 

5 State’’ and inserting the following: 

6 ‘‘(B) UNOBLIGATED BALANCES.— 

7 ‘‘(i) RETURN TO SECRETARY.— 

8 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Subject to 

9 subclause (II), each State’’; 

10 (5) by striking paragraph (10); 

11 (6) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 

12 (9) as paragraphs (3) through (10), respectively; 

13 and 

14 (7) by striking ‘‘(m)(1) Subject to’’ and insert15 ing the following: 

16 ‘‘(m) WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN FARMERS’ 

17 MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM.— 

18 ‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

19 ‘‘(A) COUPON.—The term ‘coupon’ means 

20 a coupon, voucher, or other negotiable financial 

21 instrument by which benefits provided under 

22 this section are transferred. 

23 ‘‘(B) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ 

24 means— 


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1 ‘‘(i) the State farmers’ market coupon 

2 nutrition program authorized by this sub3 section (as in effect on September 30, 

4 1991); and 

5 ‘‘(ii) the farmers’ market nutrition 

6 program authorized by this subsection. 

7 ‘‘(C) RECIPIENT.—The term ‘recipient’ 

8 means a person or household, as determined by 

9 the State, that is— 

10 ‘‘(i) chosen by a State to receive bene11 fits under this subsection; or 

12 ‘‘(ii) included on a waiting list to re13 ceive those benefits. 

14 ‘‘(D) STATE AGENCY.—The term ‘State 

15 agency’ includes— 

16 ‘‘(i) a State department of agri17 culture; and 

18 ‘‘(ii) any other agency approved by 

19 the chief executive officer of the State. 

20 ‘‘(2) GRANT PROGRAM.—Subject to’’. 

21 SEC. 5. INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR FARMERS’ MAR22 KETS. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture (re24 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall make loans, 


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1 loan guarantees, and grants to public agencies and non2 profit organizations for— 

3 (1) the construction of new farmers’ markets; 

4 or 

5 (2) the improvement or rehabilitation of exist6 ing farmers’ markets, including by adding or im7 proving payment technologies used at those farmers’ 

8 markets. 

9 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a loan, 

10 loan guarantee, or grant under this section with respect 

11 to a farmers’ market, a public agency or nonprofit organi12 zation shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Sec13 retary— 

14 (1) financial need; and 

15 (2) a commitment to reserving not less than 50 

16 percent of the floor area of the farmers’ market for 

17 the sale of agricultural products that, as determined 

18 by the Secretary, are produced locally by— 

19 (A) farmers, ranchers, or aquaculture, 

20 mariculture, or fisheries operators; or 

21 (B) an association of farmers, ranchers, or 

22 aquaculture, mariculture, or fisheries operators. 

23 (c) COST SHARING.— 

24 (1) GRANTS.—The amount of a grant provided 

25 under this section shall be not more than 25 percent 


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1 of the cost of the activity for which the grant is pro2 vided. 

3 (2) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The combined amount 

4 of a grant or loan provided, and any loan guaran5 teed, for a public agency or nonprofit organization 

6 under this section shall not exceed 80 percent of the 

7 cost of the activity for which the grant or loan is 

8 provided, or the loan is guaranteed, as applicable. 

9 (d) INTEREST RATE.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—A loan provided by the Sec11 retary under this section shall bear interest at the 

12 rate equivalent to the rate of interest charged on 

13 United States Treasury securities of comparable ma14 turity on the date on which the loan is approved. 

15 (2) DURATION.—The interest rate referred to 

16 in paragraph (1) with respect to a loan under this 

17 section shall remain in effect for the term of the 

18 loan. 

19 (e) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity Cred20 it Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 

21 section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 

22 2029. 


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1 SEC. 6. PILOT PROGRAM FOR FOOD BANKS AND LOCAL 

2 FARMER CONTRACTING FOR LOCAL PRO3 CUREMENT. 

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 

5 a pilot program under which the Secretary shall provide 

6 grants to food banks to voluntarily contract with farmers 

7 local to the food banks to grow produce for food bank pro8 grams to promote local procurement of produce. 

9 (b) METHODS.—Under a contract described in sub10 section (a), a local farmer may grow produce through tra11 ditional or controlled environmental agriculture farming 

12 methods. 

13 (c) AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant provided to a 

14 food bank under this section shall be $500,000. 

15 (d) DISTRIBUTION.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

17 the Secretary shall distribute grants under this sec18 tion to 15 food banks, in accordance with the fol19 lowing: 

20 (A) ZIP CODE.—Of the 15 food banks that 

21 receive grants under this section— 

22 (i) 5 shall be located in urban ZIP 

23 Codes (as designated by the Bureau of the 

24 Census); 


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1 (ii) 5 shall be located in suburban ZIP 

2 Codes (as designated by the Bureau of the 

3 Census); and 

4 (iii) 5 shall be located in rural ZIP 

5 Codes (as designated by the Bureau of the 

6 Census). 

7 (B) CENSUS BUREAU REGION.—Of the 15 

8 food banks that receive grants under this sec9 tion— 

10 (i) 3 shall be located in the Northeast 

11 Region (as established by the Bureau of 

12 the Census); 

13 (ii) 3 shall be located in the Midwest 

14 Region (as established by the Bureau of 

15 the Census); 

16 (iii) 3 shall be located in the South 

17 Region (as established by the Bureau of 

18 the Census); 

19 (iv) 3 shall be located in the West Re20 gion (as established by the Bureau of the 

21 Census); and 

22 (v) 3 may be located in any region es23 tablished by the Bureau of the Census, as 

24 the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 


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1 (2) PRIORITY.—A food bank that serves an eco2 nomically depressed or food desert area, as deter3 mined by the Secretary, shall be given priority in the 

4 distribution of grants under this section. 

5 (e) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity Cred6 it Corporation, the Secretary shall use to carry out this 

7 section $7,500,000 for the period of fiscal years of 2024 

8 and 2025. 

9 SEC. 7. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

10 Not later than 180 days after the effective date of 

11 this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 

12 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, the 

13 Special Committee on Aging of the Senate, and the Com14 mittees on Agriculture and Education and the Workforce 

15 of the House of Representatives a report that describes— 

16 (1) the effect of this Act and the amendments 

17 made by this Act on— 

18 (A) local procurement of food; and 

19 (B) local farmers; 

20 (2) the individuals and entities procuring food 

21 locally pursuant to this Act and the amendments 

22 made by this Act; and 

23 (3) the communities involved in programs car24 ried out under this Act and the amendments made 

25 by this Act. 


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1 SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

2 This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, take 

3 effect on the date that is 120 days after the date of enact4 ment of this Act. 

Æ 


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