Farm Fresh Food for Families Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-643
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
Introduced: 2023-03-02
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Latest action: action_date: 2023-03-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-03-02
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Farm Fresh Food for Families Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill expands the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (WIC FMNP) to include community supported agriculture (CSA) programs and makes further changes to the program. The program awards grants for states to provide vouchers and coupons that participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) may use to purchase fresh produce at approved venues (e.g., farmers' markets). </p> <p>The bill adds CSA programs to WIC FMNP, which currently may include farmers' markets and roadside stands. (Under a CSA program, farmers grow food for a group of shareholders or subscribers who pledge to buy a portion of the crops grown for that season; a state agency may purchase shares or subscribe to the CSA program on behalf of individual WIC FMNP participants.)</p> <p>The bill also reauthorizes WIC FMNP through FY2029 and increases the federal share of benefits a recipient may receive under the program. Specifically, the bill raises the annual minimum benefit to $20 (currently set at $10) and removes the annual cap on benefits.</p> <p>Further, the bill removes a requirement for states to provide matching funds that are equal to at least 30% of the administrative costs of the program. </p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 643 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 2, 2023 Mr. Ossoff (for himself and Ms. Ernst ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to modernize the farmers' market nutrition program under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Farm Fresh Food for Families Act of 2023 . 2. WIC Farmers' market nutrition program (a) In general Section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786(m) ) is amended— (1) by striking coupon each place it appears and inserting food instrument ; (2) by striking coupons each place it appears and inserting food instruments ; (3) by striking (m)(1) Subject to and inserting the following: (m) Farmers' market nutrition program (1) In general Subject to ; (4) in paragraph (1), by striking markets and all that follows through roadside stands and inserting markets, roadside stands (at the option of a State), and community supported agriculture programs (at the option of a State) ; (5) by striking paragraph (3); (6) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (10) as paragraphs (3) through (9), respectively, and indenting the paragraphs, and the subparagraphs, clauses, and subclauses within those paragraphs, in accordance with the margin of paragraph (1) (as so amended); (7) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)— (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking (4) Each State and inserting the following: (4) Program requirements Each State ; (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking funds— in the matter preceding clause (i) and all that follows through the period at the end of clause (ii) and inserting funds provided under the grant. ; (C) in subparagraph (C), by striking be— in the matter preceding clause (i) and all that follows through the period at the end of clause (ii) and inserting be less than $20 per year. ; (D) in subparagraph (E)— (i) in clause (i), by inserting , farmers’ markets, and community supported agriculture programs after producers ; and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking only to purchase and inserting the following: “only— (I) for a scrip, as defined by the Secretary, to exchange for fresh nutritious unprepared foods for human consumption; or (II) to purchase ; and (E) in subparagraph (F)— (i) in clause (ii)— (I) by striking 2 percent and inserting 3 percent ; and (II) by inserting , including efforts to develop efficient and appropriate electronic benefit systems, after technical assistance ; and (ii) in clause (iii), by striking contribute and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting contribute. ; (8) in paragraph (5)(B)(i) (as so redesignated), by striking if a State provides the amount of matching funds required under paragraph (3), the and inserting a ; (9) in paragraph (8)(A) (as so redesignated), by striking 2015 and inserting 2029 ; and (10) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated)— (A) by striking subparagraph (A); (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (D) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively; (C) by inserting before subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated) the following: (A) Community supported agriculture program The term community supported agriculture program means a program under which— (i) a farmer or group of farmers grows food for a group of shareholders or subscribers, who pledge to buy a portion of the 1 or more crops grown by the farmer or group for that season; and (ii) a State agency may purchase shares or subscribe to the community supported agriculture program on behalf of individual farmers' market nutrition program participants. (B) Food instrument The term food instrument means a coupon, voucher, electronic benefit transfer card, electronic benefit access device or technology, or other negotiable financial instrument that is used to obtain food benefits under this section. ; and (D) in each of subparagraphs (C) through (E) (as so redesignated), by inserting after the subparagraph designation a heading, the text of which comprises the term defined in that subparagraph. (b) Technical and conforming amendments Section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1786(m) ) is amended— (1) by striking paragraph (6) each place it appears and inserting paragraph (5) ; and (2) in paragraph (5) (as redesignated by subsection (a)(6))— (A) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking paragraph (10) and inserting paragraph (8) ; (B) in subparagraph (C)(iv), by striking subparagraph (G)(i) each place it appears and inserting subparagraph (F)(i) ; (C) in subparagraph (D)(ii)(II), by striking paragraph (5) and inserting paragraph (4) ; and (D) in subparagraph (F)(iii), by striking paragraph (10)(B)(ii) and inserting paragraph (8)(B)(ii) .