The Strengthening Local Food Security Act of 2025 establishes the Strengthening Local Food Security Program , amending the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This program aims to bolster food security, enhance agricultural supply chain resiliency, and create economic opportunities for local producers. It achieves this by enabling eligible government entities to purchase food, including seafood, produce, and meat, from local and regional producers for distribution to hunger relief organizations and schools. Eligible units of government, such as State agencies and Tribal governments, will receive funding on a noncompetitive basis, with specific allocations for Tribal governments and States. The program prioritizes purchases from covered producers , defined as small, mid-sized, beginning, veteran, or underserved fishers, farmers, and ranchers. Unspent funds may be reallocated to other eligible entities to ensure efficient use. Participating entities must submit a plan detailing how funds will grow a local food system, promote food security, or increase local, nutritious food in schools. Key requirements include purchasing food from producers within 400 miles or geographic boundaries and ensuring at least 51 percent of purchases are from covered producers. The program also mandates priority distribution to underserved communities and limits administrative costs while requiring a portion for technical assistance. To ensure robust support, the bill provides mandatory funding of $200,000,000 annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation starting in fiscal year 2025. Additionally, it authorizes appropriations of $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. This substantial financial commitment aims to ensure consistent support for the program's objectives, strengthening local food systems and promoting access to nutritious food for vulnerable populations.
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Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4458: 2)
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4458: 2)
Agriculture and Food
Strengthening Local Food Security Act of 2025
USA119th CongressS-2338| Senate
| Updated: 7/17/2025
The Strengthening Local Food Security Act of 2025 establishes the Strengthening Local Food Security Program , amending the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This program aims to bolster food security, enhance agricultural supply chain resiliency, and create economic opportunities for local producers. It achieves this by enabling eligible government entities to purchase food, including seafood, produce, and meat, from local and regional producers for distribution to hunger relief organizations and schools. Eligible units of government, such as State agencies and Tribal governments, will receive funding on a noncompetitive basis, with specific allocations for Tribal governments and States. The program prioritizes purchases from covered producers , defined as small, mid-sized, beginning, veteran, or underserved fishers, farmers, and ranchers. Unspent funds may be reallocated to other eligible entities to ensure efficient use. Participating entities must submit a plan detailing how funds will grow a local food system, promote food security, or increase local, nutritious food in schools. Key requirements include purchasing food from producers within 400 miles or geographic boundaries and ensuring at least 51 percent of purchases are from covered producers. The program also mandates priority distribution to underserved communities and limits administrative costs while requiring a portion for technical assistance. To ensure robust support, the bill provides mandatory funding of $200,000,000 annually from the Commodity Credit Corporation starting in fiscal year 2025. Additionally, it authorizes appropriations of $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. This substantial financial commitment aims to ensure consistent support for the program's objectives, strengthening local food systems and promoting access to nutritious food for vulnerable populations.