Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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.
The Farmers to Families Act expands how WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program participants can use their nutrition benefits by allowing them to purchase fresh, local foods directly from farmers, farmers' markets, food hubs, and community-supported agriculture programs. The bill requires the Department of Agriculture to set up a unified electronic benefits system within 18 months so WIC participants can access their benefits through a single card at local agricultural entities, and it establishes standards for payment devices that farmers' markets and vendors must use to accept these electronic payments. To support this expansion, the legislation directs the USDA to create a technical assistance center within 18 months to train farmers and farmers' market operators on how to accept federal nutrition benefits and comply with program requirements, and requires the agency to develop a simplified online application portal and guidance for farmers and state agencies within 90 days. The bill primarily affects low-income pregnant women, mothers, and young children in the WIC program, as well as local farmers and food vendors seeking to participate in these federal nutrition benefit programs.
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