Farmers to Families Act
Summary
The "Farmers to Families Act" aims to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. It focuses on expanding access to fresh, local, nutritious foods for participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill promotes the use of cash-value benefits and coupons at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and through community-supported agriculture programs.
Expected Effects
This act will broaden the scope of the WIC program by including more local agricultural entities. It mandates the use of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) systems for accessing cash-value benefits and coupon funds. The bill also establishes a technical assistance center to aid farmers and market operators in navigating the program requirements.
Potential Benefits
- Increased access to fresh, local foods for WIC participants.
- Support for local farmers and agricultural entities.
- Streamlined benefit access through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems.
- Enhanced nutritional options for women, infants, and children.
- Creation of a technical assistance center to aid farmers and market operators.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential administrative burden on state agencies to implement new EBT systems and regulations.
- Possible costs associated with establishing and maintaining the technical assistance center.
- Risk of fraud or misuse of benefits if proper oversight is not maintained.
- Challenges for smaller agricultural entities in meeting the requirements for participation.
- Potential for increased competition among farmers for WIC benefits.
Constitutional Alignment
The "Farmers to Families Act" aligns with the Constitution's general welfare clause (Article I, Section 8), which grants Congress the power to provide for the health and well-being of the nation. The act's focus on nutrition and support for agricultural entities is consistent with this constitutional mandate. The bill does not appear to infringe upon any specific individual rights or liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).