Local Foods for Healthy Schools Act of 2026

This bill amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to establish the Local Foods for Healthy Schools Program . This program directs the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into noncompetitive cooperative agreements with eligible units of government , which are State agencies responsible for agriculture or child nutrition. The primary goal is to facilitate the purchase of local foods from covered producers and their subsequent distribution to schools participating in federal meal programs within those States. Under these agreements, eligible units of government can either purchase local foods directly for school food authorities or disburse funds to them for such purchases. Up to five percent of the received funds can be reserved for activities such as training, technical assistance, covering food safety certification costs for producers, and program administration. Applicants must submit a plan detailing their implementation strategy and assure that program funds will supplement, not supplant, existing State efforts. The program establishes a noncompetitive allocation formula, providing an equal base amount to each State, with remaining funds distributed proportionally based on student participation in school meal programs. For funding, the bill mandates $200,000,000 annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation starting in fiscal year 2026, with an additional $200,000,000 authorized for appropriation each year. Eligible units are required to submit reports detailing local food purchases and distribution, which must also be made publicly available.