I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4943 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applications from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition programs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 26, 2023 

Ms. SCHOLTEN (for herself, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. 

PAYNE, Ms. TOKUDA, Mr. THANEDAR, and Mrs. HAYES) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and 

in addition to the Committee on Education and the 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 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applications from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition 

programs, 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 the ‘‘Enabling Farmers to 

5 Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act of 

6 2023’’. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 4943 IH

1 SEC. 2. STREAMLINING APPLICATIONS FOR FARMERS. 

2 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

3 (1) COVERED NUTRITION PROGRAM.—The term 

4 ‘‘covered nutrition program’’ means— 

5 (A) the supplemental nutrition assistance 

6 program established under the Food and Nutri7 tion Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); 

8 (B) the senior farmers’ market nutrition 

9 program established under section 4402 of the 

10 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 

11 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007); 

12 (C) the special supplemental nutrition pro13 gram for women, infants, and children estab14 lished by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 

15 of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), including the farm16 ers’ market nutrition program under that pro17 gram; and 

18 (D) the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incen19 tive Program established under section 4405 of 

20 the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 

21 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517), as practicable with re22 spect to the activities carried out by the Sec23 retary under subsections (b) and (c). 

24 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

25 the Secretary of Agriculture. 

26 (b) STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS.— 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 4943 IH

1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 

2 a streamlined application process— 

3 (A) for direct marketing farmers and 

4 ranchers to apply to be vendors under each of 

5 the covered nutrition programs; and 

6 (B) by— 

7 (i) developing a single application that 

8 a direct marketing farmer or rancher may 

9 use to apply to each of the covered nutri10 tion programs; or 

11 (ii) developing an information sharing 

12 system that— 

13 (I) shares the information of a 

14 direct marketing farmer or rancher 

15 who is approved as an authorized ven16 dor under a covered nutrition pro17 gram with each of the other covered 

18 nutrition programs; and 

19 (II) deems that direct marketing 

20 farmer or rancher as a prequalified el21 igible vendor for those other covered 

22 nutrition programs. 

23 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

24 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

25 submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 4943 IH

1 and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on 

2 Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report 

3 describing progress made in carrying out paragraph 

4 (1). 

5 (c) STREAMLINED PROCESSING OF BENEFITS.—The 

6 Secretary shall establish a streamlined process for direct 

7 marketing farmers and ranchers that are vendors under 

8 any of the covered nutrition programs to process benefits 

9 under those programs through the use of standardized 

10 technology, such as a single piece of equipment or a mobile 

11 application. 

12 SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR WIRELESS AND MOBILE EQUIPMENT 

13 FOR CERTAIN ENTITIES. 

14 Section 7(f)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

15 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(f)(2)) is amended— 

16 (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as sub17 paragraph (D); and 

18 (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol19 lowing: 

20 ‘‘(C) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall 

21 ensure that equipment or systems made avail22 able to entities described in clauses (i) and (ii) 

23 of subparagraph (B) by a State agency or an 

24 implementing partner of a State agency is ap25 propriate for the entity, including, with respect 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HR 4943 IH

1 to farmers markets and other direct-to-con2 sumer markets, wireless or mobile processing 

3 equipment and technology systems.’’. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB