S. 4483 – Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026

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Updated May 15, 2026 at 3:10 AM UTC

The Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026 directs the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to make it easier for farmers and ranchers who sell directly to consumers to become vendors in federal nutrition programs such as SNAP, senior farmers‑market nutrition, WIC, and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program. It also requires the use of simple, technology‑based tools for processing benefits at farmers markets and other direct‑to‑consumer sites.

Key Provisions

The Secretary must create a single, streamlined application that farmers and ranchers can use to apply to be vendors in all covered nutrition programs, or set up a system that shares approved vendor information across those programs, treating the farmer as pre‑qualified for each.
Within one year of the law’s enactment, the Secretary must report to Congress on the progress of developing this streamlined application and information‑sharing system.
The Secretary must also set up a simplified process for handling nutrition benefits at farmers markets, using standardized technology such as a single piece of equipment or a mobile app.
An amendment to the Food and Nutrition Act requires that any equipment or systems provided to farmers markets or similar direct‑to‑consumer markets be appropriate, including wireless or mobile processing tools.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

May 11, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 11, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

May 11, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 11, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4483

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 11, 2026

Ms. Smith introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to streamline applications from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition programs, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026.

2.

Streamlining applications for farmers

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Covered nutrition program

The term covered nutrition program means—

(A)

the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);

(B)

the senior farmers’ market nutrition program established under section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 3007);

(C)

the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), including the farmers' market nutrition program under that program; and

(D)

the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program established under section 4405 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 7517), as practicable with respect to the activities carried out by the Secretary under subsections (b) and (c).

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(b)

Streamlined application process

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall establish a streamlined application process—

(A)

for direct marketing farmers and ranchers to apply to be vendors under each of the covered nutrition programs; and

(B)

by—

(i)

developing a single application that a direct marketing farmer or rancher may use to apply to each of the covered nutrition programs; or

(ii)

developing an information sharing system that—

(I)

shares the information of a direct marketing farmer or rancher who is approved as an authorized vendor under a covered nutrition program with each of the other covered nutrition programs; and

(II)

deems that direct marketing farmer or rancher as a prequalified eligible vendor for those other covered nutrition programs.

(2)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report describing progress made in carrying out paragraph (1).

(c)

Streamlined processing of benefits

The Secretary shall establish a streamlined process for direct marketing farmers and ranchers that are vendors under any of the covered nutrition programs to process benefits under those programs through the use of standardized technology, such as a single piece of equipment or a mobile application.

3.

Support for wireless and mobile equipment for certain entities

Section 7(f)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2016(f)(2)) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and

(2)

by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:

(C)

Requirement

The Secretary shall ensure that equipment or systems made available to entities described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (B) by a State agency or an implementing partner of a State agency is appropriate for the entity, including, with respect to farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer markets, wireless or mobile processing equipment and technology systems.

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