H.R. 6706: EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act

Introduced Dec 15, 20259 cosponsors

Sponsor

Alma Adams

Democrat · NC

Bill Progress

IntroducedDec 15

Committee

Pass House

Pass Senate

Signed

Law

Latest Action · Dec 15, 2025

1/2

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

USDA buys billions in food — this bill decides who grows it

Why it matters

The bill would carve out a share of USDA Section 32 procurement funding from fiscal 2026 through 2031 for contracts with "covered producers" and "covered entities," including beginning farmers, fishermen, and ranchers, while also launching a best-value pilot that lets USDA weigh factors beyond price alone. That could mean more business for smaller and regional producers, more options for schools and food banks in the commodity program, and potentially better outcomes for food workers and local economies; the losers are likely to be large incumbent vendors that thrive under scale-based, lowest-cost contracting and lawmakers who view procurement policy as a backdoor regulatory tool.

On the Record

What Congress Is Saying

H.R. 6706 hasn't been debated on the floor yet.

This section updates when a legislator speaks about it on the floor or in committee.

HR6706 Legislative Journey

1 actions

Committee Action

Dec 15, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

About the Sponsor

Alma Adams

Democrat, North Carolina's 12th congressional district · 12 years in Congress

Committees: Agriculture, Education and Workforce

View full profile →

Cosponsors (9)

No new cosponsors in 90 days — momentum stalled

All 9 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 8 states: California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, and 5 more.

9Democrats·8 states

Zoe Lofgren

Democrat · CA

Rashida Tlaib

Democrat · MI

Cleo Fields

Democrat · LA

James McGovern

Democrat · MA

Eleanor Norton

Democrat · DC

Nydia Velázquez

Democrat · NY

Jill Tokuda

Democrat · HI

André Carson

Democrat · IN

Judy Chu

Democrat · CA

H.R. 6706 Quick Facts

Cosponsors

+4 more

Chamber: House
Policy: Agriculture and Food
Introduced: Dec 15, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Dec 15, 2025

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H.R. 6706 Common Questions

How much USDA food procurement money would be set aside for small and beginning farmers under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act?

At least $2 million a year from fiscal 2026 through 2031 must go to competitive contracts with covered producers and covered entities under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 5).

What percentage of USDA food spending would have to use best value instead of lowest price under HR 6706?

According to HR 6706 Section 6, the pilot must select bids totaling at least 20% of annual USDA food spending under covered authorities using a best-value tradeoff process.

How much could a farmer or cooperative get in grants under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act?

Eligible covered producers and cooperatives could receive up to $100,000 per applicant, with grant terms of up to 3 years, under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 6).

Can beginning farmers qualify for USDA contracts if they have farmed for less than 10 years?

Yes. Under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 3), a beginning farmer, fisherman, or rancher includes someone who has operated for not more than 10 years, subject to USDA criteria.

What counts as a small or medium-sized farm under HR 6706?

According to HR 6706 Section 3, it generally means annual gross cash farm income under $999,999, unless the Secretary adopts an acreage-based definition by state, region, or production system.

Does the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act require USDA to consider worker protections in food contracts?

Yes. Under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 4), USDA procurement must support worker well-being, including collective bargaining, worker justice certification, and labor peace agreements.

Can food hubs and processors qualify as covered entities under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act?

Yes, if they are nonprofit or for-profit processors, distributors, or food hubs that source at least 51% of their value from covered producers, under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 3).

What are the deforestation rules for food procurement under HR 6706?

HR 6706 Section 3 says a policy to limit deforestation must include origin identification, supply-chain traceability, deforestation-free verification, indigenous consent, biodiversity protection, and compliance with local laws.

Does HR 6706 require USDA to report supplier names and greenhouse gas estimates?

Yes. Under HR 6706 Section 4, the baseline report due 1 year after enactment and annual reports after that must include supplier names, spending percentages, and greenhouse gas estimates.

Which producers are covered by the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act set-aside?

Under the EFFECTIVE Food Procurement Act (Section 3), covered producers include beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers, fishermen, or ranchers, plus producers on small or medium-sized farms or ranches.

Based on H.R. 6706 bill text