H.R. 6776 — Farmers to Families Act

This section establishes a new program allowing participants and recipients in the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC) to use cash-value benefits and coupons to purchase fresh, local, nutritious, unprepared foods—including pre-order boxes—from covered agricultural entities (i.e., food hubs, farmers' markets, distributors of local foods, community supported agriculture programs, or farmers), not later than 18 months after enactment of this section. The section further directs, not later than 18 months after enactment—(1) State WIC agencies to provide such benefits and coupons through their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) systems established under current law, ensure coupon access via EBT devices, and allow separation of fund types on those devices; and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture to issue regulations establishing and regularly updating a list of qualified payment devices that community supported agriculture entities must use to process EBT payments for these purchases without additional devices. (Thus, the changes integrate local food purchases into WIC's existing EBT infrastructure while expanding benefit redemption options beyond traditional retailers.)

This section revises the WIC farmers' market nutrition program by (1) expanding eligible food purchase locations from farmers' markets and (at state option) roadside stands to farmers' markets, roadside stands, and covered agricultural entities (as defined in section 18(c)); and (2) automatically authorizing each farmer (as defined in 7 CFR 249.2) as a covered agricultural entity for program purposes. (Thus, the program—which provides WIC participants with benefits to purchase fresh produce directly from approved local producers—may now operate consistently with the senior farmers' market nutrition program.)

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture, not later than 90 days after enactment, to include on a public USDA website (1) a single application portal for producers to be authorized as farmers under section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m))—the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), which provides low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) with coupons to purchase fresh, unprepared fruits and vegetables directly from farmers, farmers' markets, and roadside stands—and as covered agricultural entities under new section 18 to sell such foods to WIC participants; (2) guidance for State WIC offices, farmers, and farmers' markets; and (3) best practices for State and local agencies implementing the FMNP and section 18 requirements.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment, a Technical Assistance Center for farmers’ market operators and farmers (Center), following consultation with stakeholders such as farmers, farmers’ market managers, state agencies, and community organizations. The Secretary must select an eligible entity (i.e., a nonprofit organization, institution of higher education, cooperative extension service, regional food system network, or similar entity) through a competitive cooperative agreement process, advised by a review panel including experts in farmers’ markets and federal nutrition benefits technical assistance, with priority to entities experienced in programs such as the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and nutrition incentive programs serving small farms and underserved communities. The Center must (1) assist farmers and farmers’ market operators with eligibility, applications, and authorizations under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), FMNP, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), and WIC cash-value benefits; (2) train on accepting electronic benefits transfer payments, including use of qualified payment devices; (3) develop and distribute resources and best practices; (4) share implementation information; and (5) collect and analyze program outcomes related to WIC section 17(m) (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)) and section 18 as added by this Act. Not later than 2 years after enactment and annually thereafter, the Center must report to the Secretary and relevant congressional committees on its activities and recommendations to increase farmers’ and farmers’ markets’ participation in those programs.

This section defines terms used in the Act, including (1) cash-value benefit (i.e., cash-value voucher, per 7 CFR 246.2 or successor regulations); (2) cooperative extension service (per 7 U.S.C. 3103); (3) covered agricultural entity (per section 18 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as added by this Act); (4) farmer (per 7 CFR 249.2 or successor regulations); (5) FMNP (i.e., farmers’ market nutrition program for WIC participants under 42 U.S.C. 1786(m)); (6) institution of higher education (per 20 U.S.C. 1001); (7) SFMNP (i.e., senior farmers’ market nutrition program under 7 U.S.C. 3007); (8) WIC (i.e., special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children under 42 U.S.C. 1786); and (9) State agency and local agency (per such section 1786).