Local Farms and Food Act of 2023
This bill modifies the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).
The bill reauthorizes LAMP through FY2028, provides additional funding for the program, and expands the program to include grants for food hubs. The bill defines a food hub as a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers, who are primarily local and regional producers, to strengthen the ability of those producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale, retail, and institutional demands.
Further, LAMP grants may also be used to support (1) the purchase of general purpose equipment, and (2) the logistics required for the redemption of federal nutrition benefits at farmers' markets.
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a simplified turnkey application project form for eligible entities, including food hubs, that request less than $100,000 and choose from the specific project categories of (1) direct-to-consumer projects, (2) local and regional food market and enterprise projects, and (3) general purpose equipment grants.
The bill also reauthorizes and provides funding for the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program through FY2028.
Further, the bill amends the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program to increase the maximum federal cost share to 75% from 50%. Further, under the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program, USDA must establish a panel to review submitted grant applications and make recommendations.