# 119-hr-5867: Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act

119-hr-5867, Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5867
- As of: 2026-10-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5867
- Congress: 119
- Title: Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-10-28
- Sponsor: Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 20
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-24

## Summary

**Creates a pilot grant program to fund 100 percent plant-based school breakfasts and lunches.** The program would award three-year grants to eligible school food authorities to offer culturally appropriate plant-based options while partnering with local, organic, and underserved producers. - Students and families: Participating schools would offer fully plant-based breakfast and/or lunch options, with priority for school food authorities that serve at least 50% of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. - School food authorities and workers: Grants could pay for staff training, employee compensation for training or extra work, taste tests, recipe development, technical assistance, and procurement costs to help serve plant-based meals. - Farmers and producers: The program would fund outreach and purchases from local, organically produced, beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged producers, including limited-resource farmers. - Administration and learning: The Secretary would collect records, require annual and term-end reports on schools and students served, and share best practices and technical assistance across participants. *Would authorize $10.0 million for fiscal year 2026, available through fiscal year 2030, to carry out the pilot.*

## Cosponsors (20)

- Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37] (D-TX), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-10-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2025-11-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Subramanyam, Suhas [D-VA-10] (D-VA), 2025-11-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30] (D-CA), 2025-11-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] (D-TX), 2025-12-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2026-01-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2026-01-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2026-04-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-04-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2026-05-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2026-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2026-07-20T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Grants for plant-based school meals: benefit, low. The bill would create 3-year grants to help eligible school districts add 100% plant-based breakfasts or lunches with no animal products. Eligible districts would generally serve schools where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Priority could go to districts serving m…
- Pilot to fund nondairy drinks at school: benefit, low. If enacted, USDA would start a pilot within 90 days to reimburse schools for the full cost of nondairy drinks when milk is not right due to a medical or other special diet (not ADA/504). Eligible school food authorities would serve schools where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-…
- New rules for milk substitutes at school: mixed, medium. If enacted, schools would have to give a milk substitute when a disability limits a student’s diet. For medical or other special diets (not ADA/504), schools would need to provide a nondairy drink that meets the student’s nutrition needs. With a written request from the student or a parent, schools…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-5867 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5867)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5867 (as of 2026-10-24).