Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced
Summary
Centralized, streamlined vendor access for direct-marketing farmers and ranchers. This bill would create a single pathway to help those producers become vendors in four federally funded nutrition programs and would modernize benefit processing with standardized technology.
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- Farmers and ranchers: The bill would let them use one application or an information-sharing system that prequalifies vendors across SNAP, the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, WIC (including WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition), and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program.
- Shoppers and program participants: Standardized payment technology, such as a single device or a mobile app, would make it easier for farmers markets and direct sellers to accept SNAP, WIC, and incentive benefits and could increase where those benefits can be used.
- Program administrators: The Secretary of Agriculture would be able to share approved vendor information across programs and use common processing to reduce duplication and administrative burden. The Secretary would also submit a progress report to relevant congressional committees within 1 year of enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Farmers: easier vendor signup and payments
If enacted, this bill would require the Agriculture Secretary to create one streamlined way for direct-marketing farmers and ranchers to become authorized vendors across four federal nutrition programs. It would let the Secretary use a single unified application or an information-sharing system that treats approval in one program as prequalification for others. It would also require standardized payment technology—like a single device or a mobile app—so vendors can process benefit payments at farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer sites. The Secretary would have to report progress to Congress within one year of enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov