Farm to School Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6065
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-11-17: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-08T17:28:38Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Farm to School Act of 2025 aims to reauthorize and strengthen the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. This program connects schools and other eligible institutions with local food sources to improve access to fresh, nutritious meals, support local agriculture, and promote education on farming, nutrition, and healthy eating.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Clarifies terms like "agricultural producer" (farmers, ranchers, or fishers, including those raising farm-raised fish), "eligible institution" (schools, early childhood programs, and similar entities), and "farm to school program" (initiatives involving on-site farming/gardens, buying from local producers, or educational activities on agriculture, nutrition, or food).
- Grants and Support: Provides grants, technical assistance, research, and evaluation to eligible institutions, state/local agencies, Tribal organizations, agricultural producers, land-grant colleges/universities (public institutions focused on agriculture and related fields), and nonprofits. Purposes include training, improving procurement/distribution of local foods, and funding innovative projects for aggregation (grouping products), processing, transportation, and distribution.
- Award Limits: Grants capped at $500,000 per recipient, lasting up to 3 years, with flexible amounts based on project needs. No grants solely for conferences.
- Matching Funds: Requires a non-federal match (e.g., cash or in-kind contributions), but allows waivers or modifications for high-priority projects. Tribal agencies can use certain federal funds (like from the Indian Health Service) to meet the match.
- Priorities for Funding: Gives highest priority to projects that:
- Integrate hands-on, culturally appropriate education on food and agriculture.
- Serve many children from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Build partnerships among institutions, agencies, producers, and nonprofits.
- Expand local food options, address diet-related health issues in children, and support Tribal communities with traditional foods from Tribal producers.
- Technical Assistance and Reporting: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must offer support to boost participation, especially among beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers. Requires a review and report to Congress every 3 years (starting 1 year after enactment) on barriers to farm-to-school programs, including regulatory costs, market access for small/Tribal producers, and funding challenges.
- Funding and Authorization: Allocates $10,000,000 annually (up from $5,000,000), with no more than 5% for USDA administrative costs. Reauthorizes the program through fiscal year 2030.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the program's scope beyond just schools to include broader "eligible institutions" (e.g., early childhood programs) and activities like aquaculture and Tribal traditional foods.
- Increases annual funding from $5 million to $10 million and extends authorization from 2011–2015 to 2025–2030.
- Adds new priorities, such as addressing health issues, supporting Tribal projects, and innovative distribution methods; introduces grant caps, waivers for matching funds, and prohibitions on conference-only funding.
- Enhances technical assistance to target underserved producers and mandates periodic barrier assessments, which were not previously required.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: USDA will handle more grants, technical support, and reporting, potentially increasing administrative workload but with a 5% cap on costs. Could streamline local food procurement for federal child nutrition programs.
- Citizens: Improves access to healthier, locally sourced school meals, benefiting children's nutrition and education. Supports rural and disadvantaged communities by boosting local economies and addressing diet-related health problems like obesity.
- International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it indirectly promotes U.S. sustainable agriculture practices that could influence global food security discussions.
- Overall, fosters stronger local food systems, potentially reducing reliance on distant suppliers and enhancing food security in underserved areas.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible Institutions: Schools, preschools, and child nutrition programs, gaining better access to local foods and educational tools.
- Agricultural Producers: Local farmers, ranchers, fishers (especially small-scale, beginning, veteran, socially disadvantaged, and Tribal producers), who benefit from new markets, technical help, and priority funding.
- Tribal Organizations and Communities: Receive targeted support for traditional foods and reduced barriers, promoting cultural and economic equity.
- Nonprofits and Educational Entities: Land-grant colleges/universities and nonprofits involved in partnerships for training and research.
- Government: USDA and state/local agencies managing implementation; Congress receives ongoing reports.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens federal support for child nutrition without altering core procurement rules, but introduces waivers that could face scrutiny for consistency in grant administration. The barrier review promotes regulatory simplification, potentially easing compliance for small producers under existing food safety laws.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I to fund public welfare programs like school lunches; no apparent conflicts with equal protection or federalism, as it includes provisions for Tribal sovereignty (e.g., using federal benefits for matching).
- Political: Encourages bipartisan support for local agriculture and nutrition equity, with emphasis on underserved groups potentially appealing across party lines. The funding increase and reauthorization signal sustained commitment to farm-to-school initiatives amid debates on federal spending and rural development.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Bresnahan, Robert P. [R-PA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2025-11-17: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-11-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-11-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Farm to School Act of 2025 — issued 2025-11-17 — PDF (11 pages)