H.R. 8424 — Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a streamlined application process for direct marketing farmers and ranchers to become vendors under covered nutrition programs—including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, 7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (7 U.S.C. 3007), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) farmers’ market nutrition program (42 U.S.C. 1786), and Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP, 7 U.S.C. 7517)—either through (1) a single application usable across all programs or (2) an information-sharing system that prequalifies approved vendors for the others. The section further directs the Secretary to establish a streamlined process for such vendors to process benefits under those programs using standardized technology (e.g., a single piece of equipment or mobile application). Not later than one year after enactment, the Secretary must report to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the House Committee on Agriculture on progress implementing the application process.

This section directs the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure that electronic benefits transfer (EBT) equipment and systems provided to farmers' markets and direct-to-consumer markets (i.e., entities eligible under SNAP EBT provisions) by state agencies or their implementing partners are appropriate for those entities, including wireless or mobile processing equipment and technology systems.