December 17, 2025
Ms. Underwood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to reauthorize the farmers’ markets and local food promotion program.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the New Markets for Farmers and Families Act
.
Sec. 2. Farmers’ markets and local food promotion program reauthorization
(a) Matching funds
Section 210A(d)(6)(E) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c(d)(6)(E)) is amended to read as follows:
(E) Matching funds
(i) In general
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this paragraph shall provide matching funds in the form of cash or an in-kind contribution in an amount that is equal to 25 percent of the total amount of the Federal portion of the grant.
(ii) Exception
Clause (i) shall not apply to an eligible entity that is carrying out a priority grant described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (C).
(b) Funding
Section 210A(i) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c(i)) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking $50,000,000
and inserting $100,000,000
;
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
by striking for fiscal year 2019 and each fiscal year thereafter
and inserting for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2026
; and
(B)
by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: , and $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, to remain available until expended.
; and
(3)
in paragraph (3)(B), by adding at the end the following: Of the amount made available pursuant to the preceding sentence for a fiscal year, 30 percent shall be reserved for priority grants described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (C) of subsection (d)(6) for entities that have not received a grant under such subsection in the preceding 3 years and will use the funds to establish a new farmers’ market. If applications for such priority grants are insufficient in number or merit in a fiscal year, the Secretary may use such reserved funds for grants described in the first sentence of this subparagraph.
.
(c) Reports
(1) Secretary of Agriculture report
Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture a report describing—
(A)
the number of applications for a grant under section 210A(d)(6) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c(d)(6)) in the preceding 2 years;
(B)
the number of such applications that were submitted by eligible entities that had not previously applied for such a grant;
(C)
the number of such applications that met the requirements for a priority grant described in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (C) of such section; and
(D)
the number of grants awarded relating to the applications described in paragraph (2) and (3), respectively.
(2) Inspector General report
Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture shall make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture a report describing—
(A)
any fraud or abuse related to the grant program under section 210A(d)(6) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c(d)(6)) in the preceding 2 years; and
(B)
the effects of the amendment made by subsection (a) on participation in such grant program.