EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6706
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-15: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-30T08:05:52Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (H.R. 6706) aims to reform how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) buys food, making it a leader in building a fairer, healthier, and more sustainable U.S. food system. It emphasizes purchasing foods that promote regional food economies, worker rights, environmental protection, equity for underserved groups, support for family farms and fishing businesses, and better animal welfare.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: The bill defines key terms to guide implementation, including:
- Covered producers: Small or medium-sized farmers, fishers, or ranchers who are beginning operators (less than 10 years experience), veterans, or socially disadvantaged (e.g., members of groups facing racial or ethnic discrimination in agriculture).
- Covered entities: Nonprofits or for-profits (like food hubs or distributors) that source at least 51% of their value from covered producers.
- Covered authorities: Existing USDA food purchasing laws, such as those for school meals and surplus removal.
- Other terms like "policy to limit deforestation" (rules to trace and prevent forest destruction in supply chains) and "tradeoff process" (a federal bidding method that weighs factors beyond just the lowest price).
- Fair Food Procurement (Section 4): USDA must buy a diverse mix of foods under its purchasing programs that align with four goals:
- Equity and inclusion: Foods from covered producers/entities or suitable for religious/restricted diets.
- Diversified supply chains: Organic foods, those from cooperatives/food hubs with covered producers, or from farms with independent animal welfare certifications.
- Worker well-being: Foods from vendors with union agreements, worker justice certifications, or labor peace pacts.
- Climate mitigation: Low-emission foods, deforestation-free supply chains, or those improving soil/water health and biodiversity.
- Requires a baseline report within 1 year of enactment (detailing current spending, emissions, and 2032 targets for increasing priority purchases and cutting greenhouse gases). Annual reports follow, with $2 million authorized for implementation.
- Set-Aside for Covered Producers (Section 5): USDA must competitively award at least $2 million annually (from 2026–2031) in contracts to covered producers and entities using funds from an existing USDA surplus program.
- Best Value Procurement Pilot, Assistance, and Grants (Section 6):
- Establishes a 5-year pilot using a "tradeoff process" for bids, evaluating overall value (e.g., sustainability over just cost) to hit at least 20% of USDA's annual food spending on priority foods. Criteria developed with public input from stakeholders like tribes and workers; annual progress reports to Congress.
- Provides technical help (e.g., food safety training) to covered producers/entities.
- Offers competitive grants (up to $100,000 each, max 3-year term) for food safety upgrades, audits, insurance, or plans; prioritizes geographic diversity for covered producers and their cooperatives. Annual reports from recipients and USDA; $25 million authorized for 2026–2031.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shifts USDA procurement from primarily lowest-price bidding to "best value" evaluations that prioritize equity, sustainability, and worker protections, building on but expanding federal acquisition rules.
- Introduces mandatory spending targets and set-asides (e.g., $2 million minimum yearly for underserved producers) in existing programs like Section 32 (for surplus commodities).
- Adds reporting requirements on spending breakdowns, supply chain details, and emissions estimates, including 2032 goals tied to federal sustainability orders.
- Creates new tools like the pilot program, grants, and technical assistance, which were not previously required, to boost participation from small/underserved suppliers.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: USDA will face increased administrative burdens for tracking, reporting, and shifting procurement (e.g., 20% via pilot), potentially raising costs but aligning with broader federal goals like reducing emissions. Other agencies (e.g., EPA for emissions consultation) may provide input.
- Citizens: Improves access to nutritious, culturally appropriate, and sustainable foods in federal programs (e.g., school lunches, food banks), benefiting low-income families, religious communities, and those with dietary needs. Supports job growth in equitable food sectors.
- International Relations: Deforestation policies could affect imports of commodities like soy or beef, pressuring global suppliers to adopt traceability and indigenous consent measures, potentially influencing trade with countries like Brazil or Indonesia.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- USDA and Federal Programs: Directly tasked with implementation, reporting, and spending shifts.
- Covered Producers and Entities: Small/medium farmers, fishers, ranchers (especially beginners, veterans, socially disadvantaged); cooperatives, food hubs, and nonprofits gain contracts, grants, and assistance to compete.
- Workers and Unions: Food system employees (farm, processing, transport) benefit from prioritized vendors with labor protections.
- Underserved Communities: Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiians, Native Alaskans, and socially disadvantaged groups get targeted support for inclusion.
- Consumers and End-Users: School food authorities, child nutrition programs, and food banks receive more diverse, resilient food options.
- Environmental Groups: Gain from climate-focused purchases reducing emissions and deforestation.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Expands USDA's authority under existing statutes without major overhauls but requires new rules (e.g., evaluation criteria via public comment), potentially facing challenges if seen as overly prescriptive on bidding. Ties into federal sustainability executive orders for coherence.
- Constitutional: Equity provisions align with equal protection principles by aiding historically disadvantaged groups, but could raise due process questions if set-asides limit competition; no clear free speech or other major issues.
- Political: Promotes values like climate action and labor rights, likely appealing to progressive interests but possibly contentious over federal spending directives and preferences for unions/organics, influencing farm bill debates or budget fights.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (10)
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-15: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2025-12-15: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Enabling Farmer, Food worker, Environmental, and Climate Targets through Innovative, Values-aligned, and Equitable Food Procurement Act — issued 2025-12-15 — PDF (20 pages)