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Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023

USA118th CongressS-2713| Senate 
| Updated: 7/27/2023
Robert P. Casey

Robert P. Casey

Democratic Senator

Pennsylvania

Cosponsors (10)
Alex Padilla (Democratic)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)John Fetterman (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Raphael G. Warnock (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), increases funding for the program, and provides additional delivery options for geographically isolated states (i.e., Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam). TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Through TEFAP, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of commodities and makes those food products (e.g., canned, frozen, dried, and fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, dairy, and whole-grain and enriched grain products) available to state distributing agencies. The bill increases funding for purchasing commodities under the program. Further, the bill directs USDA to coordinate with geographically isolated states to (1) establish alternative delivery options for allocated commodities, and (2) allow for the states to order commodities through the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. USDA may also provide geographically isolated states the ability to directly purchase domestically grown food in lieu of receiving a portion of the commodities. Under this option, USDA may distribute as cash to the state up to 20% of the cash value of the commodities that are allocated to the state under TEFAP. Further, USDA may consider additional factors beyond lowest price in determining winning bids for contracts for fresh produce packages (including product variety and transportation distance).
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Timeline
Jul 27, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Jul 27, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mar 1, 2024

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 118-6203
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
  • July 27, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 27, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • March 1, 2024

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 118-6203
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • S 118-2418: I CAN Act
  • HR 118-6203: Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023
AlaskaEmergency planning and evacuationFood assistance and reliefFood supply, safety, and labelingFruit and vegetablesGuamHawaiiNorthern Mariana IslandsNutrition and dietPoverty and welfare assistancePuerto RicoState and local government operations

Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023

USA118th CongressS-2713| Senate 
| Updated: 7/27/2023
Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), increases funding for the program, and provides additional delivery options for geographically isolated states (i.e., Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam). TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Through TEFAP, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of commodities and makes those food products (e.g., canned, frozen, dried, and fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat, dairy, and whole-grain and enriched grain products) available to state distributing agencies. The bill increases funding for purchasing commodities under the program. Further, the bill directs USDA to coordinate with geographically isolated states to (1) establish alternative delivery options for allocated commodities, and (2) allow for the states to order commodities through the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. USDA may also provide geographically isolated states the ability to directly purchase domestically grown food in lieu of receiving a portion of the commodities. Under this option, USDA may distribute as cash to the state up to 20% of the cash value of the commodities that are allocated to the state under TEFAP. Further, USDA may consider additional factors beyond lowest price in determining winning bids for contracts for fresh produce packages (including product variety and transportation distance).
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jul 27, 2023
Introduced in Senate
Jul 27, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mar 1, 2024

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 118-6203
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
  • July 27, 2023
    Introduced in Senate


  • July 27, 2023
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.


  • March 1, 2024

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 118-6203
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.
Robert P. Casey

Robert P. Casey

Democratic Senator

Pennsylvania

Cosponsors (10)
Alex Padilla (Democratic)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)John Fetterman (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Raphael G. Warnock (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Agriculture and Food

Related Bills

  • S 118-2418: I CAN Act
  • HR 118-6203: Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
AlaskaEmergency planning and evacuationFood assistance and reliefFood supply, safety, and labelingFruit and vegetablesGuamHawaiiNorthern Mariana IslandsNutrition and dietPoverty and welfare assistancePuerto RicoState and local government operations