I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9538 
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to establish certain require-
ments for meat, poultry, fruit, and vegetable purchases by the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2024 
Ms. DELAURO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to estab-
lish certain requirements for meat, poultry, fruit, and 
vegetable purchases by the Department of Agriculture, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Local Procurement 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, FRUIT, AND 
VEGETABLE PURCHASES BY DEPARTMENT 
OF AGRICULTURE. 
(a) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SHORT TITLE.—The Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 is amended, in the undesignated matter 
preceding subtitle A (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.), by 
striking ‘‘This title’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 200. SHORT TITLE. 
‘‘This title’’. 
(2) DECLARATION OF POLICY.—Section 202 of 
the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 
1621) is amended by striking the section designation 
and all that follows through ‘‘hereby declares’’ in the 
first sentence and inserting the following: 
‘‘SEC. 201. DECLARATION OF POLICY. 
‘‘Congress declares’’. 
(b) DUTIES OF SECRETARY RELATING TO AGRICUL-
TURAL PRODUCTS.—Section 203 of the Agricultural Mar-
keting Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622) is amended by strik-
ing the section designation and all that follows through 
‘‘Agriculture is directed’’ in the matter preceding sub-
section (a) and inserting the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 202. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEAT, POULTRY, FRUIT, 
AND VEGETABLE PURCHASES BY DEPART-
MENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
‘‘(a) MEAT
AND POULTRY.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law (including regulations), effective be-
ginning on the date of enactment of the Local Procure-
ment Act, in purchasing any meat or poultry agricultural 
product pursuant to a purchasing authority of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred 
to in this Act as the ‘Secretary’) shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable, purchase such an agricultural product 
that bears a ‘Product of USA’ or ‘Made in the USA’ label, 
as described in the final rule of the Food Safety and In-
spection Service entitled ‘Voluntary Labeling of FSIS- 
Regulated Products With U.S.-Origin Claims’ (89 Fed. 
Reg. 19470 (March 18, 2024)). 
‘‘(b) FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law (including regulations), effective 
beginning on the date of enactment of the Local Procure-
ment Act, in purchasing any fruit or vegetable agricultural 
product pursuant to a purchasing authority of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture, the Secretary shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable, purchase such an agricultural product 
that is grown in— 
‘‘(1) the State in which the agricultural product 
will be delivered; or 
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‘‘(2) a State adjacent to the State described in 
paragraph (1). 
‘‘(c) CONTRACT AWARDS.— 
‘‘(1) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In entering into 
contracts for the purchase of any meat, poultry, 
fruit, or vegetable agricultural product, the Sec-
retary shall establish and utilize selection criteria for 
consideration of whether a contract proposal offers 
the Federal Government the overall best value, with-
out limiting evaluation factors to— 
‘‘(A) lowest price; or 
‘‘(B) highest technical rating. 
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In entering into contracts for 
the purchase of any meat, poultry, fruit, or vegetable 
agricultural product, the Secretary shall give priority 
to purchasing from vendors that source meat, poul-
try, fruit, or vegetable agricultural products, as ap-
plicable, from small and mid-sized farms. 
‘‘SEC. 203. DUTIES OF SECRETARY RELATING TO AGRICUL-
TURAL PRODUCTS. 
‘‘The Secretary is directed’’. 
Æ 
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