Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce Act

This Act may be cited as the “Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce Act”.

(a) Establishment.— The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish and implement a program, to be known as the Fresh Bucks Pilot Program, to award grants to States for the purpose of providing monthly payments to connect households with produce in their communities.

(b) Applications.— To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. At minimum, the application shall include a plan by the State to reach low-access areas and expand retailer participation (such as through the use of mobile markets, delivery models, and partnerships with community organizations or clinics).

(c) Selection.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary shall establish and make publicly available a description of the criteria that the Secretary will use in evaluating applications submitted under subsection (b).

(2) Preference.— In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to applications that prioritize food insecure communities.

(3) Geographic diversity.— In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that a grant is awarded to at least 1 State in each of the following regions:

(A) The Pacific Northwest region.

(B) The Northeast region.

(C) The Western region.

(D) The Midwest region.

(E) The Southern region.

(d) Use of funds.— A State receiving a grant under this section may only use the grant to establish and implement a program (in this section referred to as a “State program”) to make the monthly payments described in subsection (f), including—

(1) associated administrative costs, such as—

(A) hiring staff;

(B) coordinating with community-based organizations;

(C) contracting with electronic benefits transfer card providers;

(D) acquiring and using necessary technology systems (such as card processors); and

(E) marketing and participant materials that are culturally relevant, plain-language, and offered in multiple languages;

(2) providing technical and implementation assistance (including in the form of financial assistance) to eligible retailers; and

(3) collecting and reporting to the Secretary the data described in subsection (h)(2).

(e) Components of State programs.— In administering a State program, a State, in consultation with the Secretary, shall develop and implement the following:

(1) Household eligibility guidelines for the receipt from the State of the monthly payments described in subsection (f), which shall require that—

(A) in order to receive a payment from the State under the State program, a household shall submit to the State an application;

(B) only 1 such application may be submitted per household; and

(C) a household is eligible to submit such an application only if the household makes 80 percent or less of the area median income (as determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development).

(2) Households receiving benefits under the SNAP program shall be deemed to meet the income requirement described in paragraph (1)(C). A State shall—

(A) incorporate an opt-in or auto-enrollment mechanism with respect to such households; and

(B) minimize the amount of additional paperwork required for such households.

(3) An application for the receipt from the State of the monthly payments described in subsection (f) that is short, low-barrier, and mobile-friendly.

(4) The avoidance of duplicative verification where States already have income data (such as through the SNAP program, Medicaid, or child care subsidies programs).

(5) Strong guardrails to reduce churn, including establishing clear timelines, simple renewal, grace periods, and strong customer support.

(6) The use of electronic benefits transfer card technology for the disbursement of the monthly payments described in subsection (f).

(7) The provision of technical assistance to eligible retailers.

(f) Monthly payments to households.—

(1) In general.— In administering a State program, a State shall make payments to eligible households, on a recurring monthly basis, to purchase qualifying food from eligible retailers.

(2) Amount; duration.— A payment under this subsection shall be $60 and may only be used during a 30-day period.

(3) Supplement not supplant.— A payment under this subsection shall supplement, not supplant, other benefits received by eligible households.

(4) Methods of payments.— In making payments under this subsection, a State may use existing disbursement methods for other programs (such as an electronic benefits transfer card).

(g) Consultation with local groups.— In administering a grant under this section, a State shall work in consultation with local community-based organizations and health clinics to reach households most impacted by food insecurity.

(h) Study and report.—

(1) Study.— The Secretary shall conduct a study to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of the Fresh Bucks Pilot Program.

(2) Data.— In conducting the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall collect from States receiving grants under this section the following data with respect to eligible households receiving payments:

(A) Average household size, income, and other demographics.

(B) Average amount of payments used per month.

(C) Household food security before and after participation.

(D) Daily fruit and vegetable consumption.

(E) Where households spent payments.

(F) Barriers to access, such as—

(i) distance to eligible retailers;

(ii) transportation constraints;

(iii) eligible retailer density and hours; and

(iv) the availability and price of qualifying foods.

(G) Number of eligible households on a waitlist to receive payments.

(H) Such other data as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(3) Initial report.— Not earlier than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, but not later than 12 months after such date of enactment, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes the initial results of the study under paragraph (1).

(4) Final report.— Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes the final results of the study under paragraph (1). Such report shall include a recommendation regarding the feasibility of continuing the Fresh Bucks Pilot Program and expanding the number of participating States or the amount of monthly payments.

(i) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Eligible household.— The term eligible household means a household that meets the income requirement described in subsection (e)(1)(C).

(2) Eligible retailer.— The term eligible retailer means—

(A) a farmers market;

(B) an independent grocer;

(C) a farm stand;

(D) a supermarket; and

(E) such other retailers as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(3) Household.—

(A) In general.— The term household means a group of 1 or more individuals living together who customarily purchase food and prepare meals for consumption together at home.

(B) Special rule.— For the purposes of this paragraph, an individual who has not attained the age of 18 and who is attending an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) shall be deemed to be part of the household of the individual’s parents or caregivers.

(4) Qualifying food.— The term qualifying food means—

(A) any fresh, frozen, or dried fruit or vegetable with no added fat, sugar, or salt;

(B) an herb; and

(C) a plant start that grows a food described in subparagraph (A).

(5) Secretary.— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(6) SNAP program.— The term SNAP program means the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).

(7) State.— The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

(j) Termination.— The Fresh Bucks Pilot Program shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.