National Farmers Union, American Farmland Trust, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition today led an agricultural coalition letter urging Congress to include funding for local and regional procurement of domestically produced agricultural products in any upcoming farmer economic relief package.
As family farmers and ranchers continue to face severe economic pressure driven by market volatility, rising costs, trade disruptions, and extreme weather, the groups emphasized that additional assistance will be necessary.
The letter argues that Congress should pair near-term relief with investments that build stronger domestic markets and create reliable demand for American-grown products.
“Local and regional supply chains are not only a cornerstone of rural economic resilience—they are essential to national food security,” the letter states.
The coalition pointed to bipartisan, bicameral legislation already introduced in Congress, including the Strengthening Local Food Security Act (S.2338) and the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act (H.R. 4782), as models for implementation.
The groups also highlighted USDA’s previous Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs as proof that the approach works. Those programs helped states, Tribes, and territories purchase approximately $850 million in locally grown food from over 15,000 farmers and ranchers, strengthening regional supply chains and expanding market opportunities for small and mid-sized producers. Together, these programs stimulated nearly $1.6 billion in economic activity.
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