Congress is considering a proposal that would provide eligible families with an extra $60 a month for fruits and vegetables as many Americans continue to grapple with higher grocery bills.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced the Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce Act in July. The bill would establish a U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program allowing participating states to provide qualifying households with an additional $60 per month to purchase fresh, frozen or dried fruits and vegetables. SNAP recipients who meet the income requirements would qualify automatically, while eligible households not currently enrolled in SNAP could also apply.
Who Qualifies
Under the proposal, participating states would distribute the additional benefit through Electronic Benefit Transfer cards. Households earning 80% or less of their area’s median income would qualify, with income limits varying by location.
The bill would create a competitive grant program for states, with priority given to those serving communities facing higher levels of food insecurity. The legislation was inspired by Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program, which lawmakers said improved food security and increased participants’ access to fresh produce.
“We must pass this legislation to expand the program nationwide and get families in every corner of the country healthy produce they can afford,” Jayapal said when introducing the legislation.
Grocery Pressure
The proposal comes as many Americans continue to struggle with rising food costs.
Earlier this month, an Urban Institute study found more than one-quarter of working-age adults who used credit cards to buy groceries were unable to pay their balances in full or missed minimum payments. The study also found grocery prices have climbed 32% over the past five years, forcing many households to rely on buy now, pay later loans or emergency savings to pay for food.
Food affordability concerns extend beyond lower-income households. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found 66% of Americans said groceries had become unaffordable, including many households earning more than $100,000 annually.
Consumers have also increasingly sought lower-cost grocery options. Earlier this month, The Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) was found to offer the lowest-priced basket of store-brand grocery staples among four major U.S. chains, underscoring how shoppers are comparing prices as household budgets remain under pressure.
What’s Next
The Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce Act has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, where lawmakers will review the proposal before deciding whether to advance it for consideration by the full House of Representatives. If approved by the House and Senate and signed by the president, the pilot program would allow participating states to begin offering the additional produce benefit to eligible households.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor.
Photo Courtesy: Adisa on Shutterstock.com
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