EAT Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act (H.R. 6697)

Expanding Access To Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act or the EAT Healthy Foods from Local Farmers Act

This bill amends The Emergency Food Assistance Program to authorize the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to provide funds for states to purchase priority agricultural products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains) from eligible small businesses and distribute them to needy persons through emergency feeding organizations.

Eligible small businesses under this FNS program include growers, packers, processors, distributors, food-hubs, or cooperatives that are (1) underserved (e.g., women-owned or veteran owned); or (2) composed of or source agricultural products from beginning farmers or small or mid-sized farms that are structured as family farms.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must also create a cross-agency working group to review and reconsider how USDA's procurement of priority agricultural products can be directed to support a wider range of agricultural producers and product distributors in a manner that meets goals such as nutrition security, resilient local and regional food systems, and rural job creation.