Food Farmacy Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5412
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-09T09:06:41Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Food Farmacy Act of 2025 aims to improve health outcomes by expanding access to nutritious foods and nutritional advice through "healthy food pharmacies" (also called "food farmacies"). These are organizations that provide healthy eating options and guidance, particularly to underserved communities facing food insecurity.
Key Provisions
- Grant Authority: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, can award grants to eligible entities to establish and operate healthy food pharmacies.
- Eligible Entities: Non-profit qualified health care providers (e.g., clinics or physician groups), state or local government entities, and Tribal organizations.
- Eligible Healthy Food Pharmacies: Must offer access to nutritious foods based on U.S. Dietary Guidelines, nutritional guidance from qualified health professionals (e.g., registered dietitians, physicians, or nurse practitioners), prioritize low-income, rural, or food-insecure communities, provide free services to Medicaid or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries, and align with HHS's "Food is Medicine" initiative.
- Allowed Uses of Grants:
- Construction, renovation, or conversion of facilities (including mobile units).
- Purchasing equipment.
- Hiring staff to run operations and connect people to other health and food programs.
- Acquiring food and materials for distribution.
- Application Requirements: Entities must submit plans detailing how they will sustain operations after grants end, including staff retention.
- Partnerships: Grantees can collaborate with other groups focused on reducing food insecurity and improving health.
- Funding Limits: No more than $500,000 per entity per fiscal year.
- Waivers: HHS can waive certain administrative rules under Title XI of the Social Security Act (which covers health program operations) as needed for this program.
- Reporting:
- Grantees submit annual reports to HHS on metrics like number of patrons served, their health needs, usage patterns, outcomes, food types provided, and connections to other programs.
- HHS submits biennial summaries to Congress starting two years after enactment.
- Funding Authorization: $10 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Definitions (key terms explained):
- Healthy food pharmacy: An organization providing nutritious foods and guidance from health experts.
- Qualified health care professional: Experts like dietitians, doctors, or nurse practitioners who can advise on nutrition.
- Qualified health care provider: Includes hospitals, clinics, rural health centers, or federally qualified health centers.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds a new section (320C) to Part B of Title III of the Public Health Service Act (which deals with general health authorities). It introduces a dedicated grant program for healthy food pharmacies, which did not previously exist in federal law. It also allows waivers of certain Social Security Act rules to streamline operations, marking a targeted expansion of HHS's role in nutrition-based health interventions.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: HHS will administer the program, requiring coordination with the Department of Agriculture for dietary guidelines and food-related expertise. This could increase administrative workload but support broader public health goals like the "Food is Medicine" initiative. Congress will receive ongoing reports to monitor effectiveness.
- Citizens: Low-income, rural, or food-insecure individuals, especially Medicaid and SNAP users, gain free access to healthy foods and nutrition counseling, potentially reducing diet-related illnesses (e.g., diabetes or heart disease) and improving overall health. It may help combat food insecurity by connecting people to additional resources.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic public health and nutrition programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible Entities: Non-profits, state/local governments, and Tribal organizations that can apply for and receive grants to set up or run healthy food pharmacies.
- Communities and Individuals: Residents in low-income, rural, or food-insecure areas; Medicaid and SNAP beneficiaries who get free services; and patients seeking nutritional support for health conditions.
- Health Professionals: Dietitians, physicians, and other experts providing guidance.
- Government Bodies: HHS (lead agency), Department of Agriculture (consulting role), and Congress (oversight via reports).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The bill integrates with existing programs like Medicaid and SNAP without altering their core structures, but the waiver provision could simplify health data-sharing or billing rules for grantees. It emphasizes evidence-based nutrition per federal dietary guidelines, potentially setting precedents for future "food as medicine" policies.
- Constitutional: No apparent challenges; it falls under Congress's spending power to promote general welfare through public health grants.
- Political: Introduced with bipartisan support (by Reps. Sykes, De La Cruz, and Bynum), it aligns with national priorities on health equity and food security. Success could influence future funding for preventive health measures, but limited appropriations ($10 million/year) may constrain scale without additional budget approvals.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15], Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-16: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Food Farmacy Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-16 — PDF (8 pages)