H.R. 4314: Farmers Feeding America Act

This bill, known as the Farmers Feeding America Act, aims to modify the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are primarily used to purchase food products that are grown, processed, or manufactured within the United States. Below is an overview of the main components and requirements outlined in the bill.

Purpose

The purpose of this bill is to:

• Support domestic agriculture.
• Strengthen American food production.
• Ensure that SNAP benefits are used for purchasing American-made food products.

Definitions

The bill provides specific definitions:

• American food product: Any food that is grown, harvested, or produced in the U.S. and processed or manufactured in the U.S. with at least 51% of the ingredients sourced domestically.
• Retailer Compliance: The requirement for SNAP-authorized retailers to prioritize American food products for purchase with SNAP benefits.
• SNAP: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as defined in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.

Requirements for SNAP Purchases

Under this bill, food purchased with SNAP benefits must be an American food product unless:

• The item is not available in sufficient quantities or reasonable quality domestically.
• The Secretary of Agriculture grants an exemption due to undue burden on SNAP households, including cost or regional availability issues.

The Secretary of Agriculture will maintain and update a list of exempted food items based on market conditions and domestic production trends.

Retailer Obligations

SNAP-authorized retailers are required to:

• Make reasonable efforts to stock American food products.
• Report their compliance efforts to the Department of Agriculture upon request.

If retailers fail to comply with the requirements, they may face warnings, be required to take corrective actions, or risk suspension of their SNAP authorization in severe or repeated cases.

Enforcement and Implementation

The Secretary of Agriculture, alongside relevant federal and state agencies, will be responsible for creating regulations and guidance to enforce compliance with the bill. This includes:

• Launching a public awareness campaign to educate both SNAP recipients and retailers about the benefits and requirements of buying American food products.
• Conducting an annual review to evaluate the economic impact and effectiveness of the act, and to provide recommendations for any adjustments.

Effective Date

The bill is set to take effect one year after its enactment, allowing time for retailers to adapt and for public education efforts to be implemented.

Relevant Companies

None found