FOOD for Health Act

Summary#

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture (working with the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to set up a pilot grant program to support "Food is Medicine" programs. The Secretary must establish the pilot within 2 years of the law taking effect. Grants will be awarded competitively to eligible applicants who apply as the Secretary requires. Grant funds may be used for: operating on-site emergency feeding operations; medically tailored packaging or delivery of groceries; medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions; individual or group evidence-based cooking skill training (including digital methods); promoting dietary or other health-related strategies; and transportation for program participants.

The bill defines "Food is Medicine programs" as programs run by community-based organizations in partnership with a health care provider to provide food or medical nutrition therapy to people with, at risk of, or recovering from diet-related diseases. The bill lists diet-related diseases and conditions that include diabetes, renal disease, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, malnutrition, eating disorders, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, mental illness (including depression and anxiety), and others the Secretary may add.

The Secretary must give priority to programs that include local or regional foods or that include registered dietitians or nutrition professionals. The Secretary must try to ensure geographic diversity and equitable treatment of urban, rural, tribal communities, and U.S. territories. The Secretary must submit an initial report to Congress 2 years after the pilot is established and an updated report 6 years after establishment. Each report must describe program details, participant selection criteria, the medical issues addressed, program strategies for providing healthy affordable food, the use and impact of medical nutrition therapy, and health impacts (including behavioral health) on participants.

The bill authorizes $20,000,000 to carry out the pilot for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

What it means for you#

• Community-based organizations that partner with health care providers can apply for competitive grants to run or expand Food is Medicine activities listed above.
• Health care providers and community clinics could partner with such organizations to deliver medically tailored food, nutrition therapy, cooking education, or transport to participants.
• Programs that plan to use local or regional foods or include registered dietitians may receive priority for funding.
• The program aims to include projects across different regions, and in urban, rural, tribal, and territorial communities.
• The Secretary has 2 years to set up the pilot; reporting to Congress will begin 2 years after the pilot starts and again at year 6.

Expenses#

• The bill authorizes $20,000,000 for the pilot program for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
• The bill does not specify individual grant amounts, the number of grants, or a full federal cost estimate beyond the authorized appropriation.
• No publicly available information on expected per-grant sizes, total number of grants, or any estimated savings or costs beyond the authorization.

Proponents' View#

• The bill directs federal support for Food is Medicine programs and includes goals such as advancing health outcomes and assessing effects on patient outcomes and system costs through required reports to Congress.

Opponents' View#

• No publicly available information on opposition or critics' views in the bill text or provided metadata.