Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2496
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-10T08:05:42Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025 aims to promote healthier eating among low-income households by encouraging the purchase and consumption of nutrient-rich dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, through financial incentives. It builds on existing federal nutrition assistance programs to improve diet quality for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps).
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- "Naturally nutrient-rich dairy" includes fluid milk (pasteurized cow's milk with required vitamins A and D), yogurt and other cultured cow's milk products, and cheese made from cow's milk.
- "Dairy product" refers to items where cow's milk is the first or second ingredient (if water is first).
- Eligible entities are state or local governments and nonprofit organizations.
- Program Establishment: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary must create the program within 180 days of enactment. It tests ways to boost SNAP participants' purchases of nutrient-rich dairy via point-of-sale incentives (e.g., discounts or rebates) when using SNAP benefits.
- Grants and Agreements:
- USDA awards competitive grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities for pilot projects.
- Applications must outline scientifically supported strategies to enhance nutrition.
- Priority goes to projects that maximize direct incentives, restrict their use to dairy purchases, target SNAP users, and use electronic point-of-sale systems for issuing incentives.
- Additional funds can cover startup costs for electronic benefits transfer (EBT) technology in stores.
- Evaluation and Oversight:
- Independent evaluations measure impacts on dairy purchases using rigorous methods (e.g., random assignment experiments).
- USDA can end non-compliant projects or those with poor results.
- Evaluation results must be publicly shared.
- Biennial reports to Congress detail project status and findings, starting after the first full year.
- Funding:
- $10 million annually from general Treasury funds (mandatory spending).
- Additional $10 million authorized per year starting in fiscal year 2026 (requires specific congressional appropriation).
- Up to 7% of funds for evaluations; no use for restricting SNAP benefit options.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new Section 31 to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, creating the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program.
- Transitions ongoing "Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Projects" (from the 2018 Farm Bill) into this new program without interruption, applying expanded flexibilities.
- Repeals the 2018 milk incentives provision one year after the transition is certified complete, consolidating dairy nutrition efforts under the new framework.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: USDA gains responsibility for program administration, evaluations, and reporting, potentially increasing workload but with dedicated funding. It streamlines prior dairy incentive efforts, reducing overlap.
- Citizens: SNAP participants (about 42 million low-income individuals and families) may access incentives to afford more dairy, potentially improving calcium and protein intake for better health outcomes. Retailers could see higher dairy sales at participating stores.
- International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic agriculture and nutrition policy.
- Broader Effects: Could support U.S. dairy farmers by increasing demand, though limited to SNAP purchases.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- SNAP Participants: Primary beneficiaries through incentives for healthier food choices.
- Dairy Industry (Farmers and Producers): Benefit from boosted demand for cow's milk-based products.
- Eligible Entities (State/Local Governments and Nonprofits): Receive grants to run local projects and implement technology.
- Retailers and Food Stores: Involved in point-of-sale incentives, especially those adopting EBT systems.
- USDA: Oversees implementation, funding, and evaluations.
- Congress: Receives reports and controls additional appropriations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Ensures compliance with existing SNAP rules by prohibiting any restriction on benefit use, maintaining participant choice. Evaluations must use evidence-based methods to justify ongoing funding, aligning with federal standards for program effectiveness.
- Constitutional: No apparent challenges; it involves standard congressional spending and agriculture powers under Article I.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (from both parties and regions) reflects support for nutrition and farming interests. It advances public health goals without mandating changes, but success depends on appropriation decisions and evaluation outcomes, potentially influencing future farm bills.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (23)
Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4], Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19], Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7], Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3], Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7], Rep. Rogers, Mike D. [R-AL-3], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large], Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8], Rep. Gray, Adam [D-CA-13]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-18: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
- 2025-03-31: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2025-03-31: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-31: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-31 — PDF (9 pages)