I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4943 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applications from farm-
ers to be vendors under certain nutrition programs, and for other pur-
poses. 
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 pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applica-
tions from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition 
programs, 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 ‘‘Enabling Farmers to 
Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act of 
2023’’. 
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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 Nutri-
tion 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 pro-
gram for women, infants, and children estab-
lished by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), including the farm-
ers’ market nutrition program under that pro-
gram; and 
(D) the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incen-
tive Program established under section 4405 of 
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517), as practicable with re-
spect to the activities carried out by the Sec-
retary under subsections (b) and (c). 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS.— 
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(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 nutri-
tion 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 ven-
dor under a covered nutrition pro-
gram with each of the other covered 
nutrition programs; and 
(II) deems that direct marketing 
farmer or rancher as a prequalified el-
igible 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, 
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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 sub-
paragraph (D); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that equipment or systems made avail-
able to entities described in clauses (i) and (ii) 
of subparagraph (B) by a State agency or an 
implementing partner of a State agency is ap-
propriate for the entity, including, with respect 
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to farmers markets and other direct-to-con-
sumer markets, wireless or mobile processing 
equipment and technology systems.’’. 
Æ 
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