Expand the FarmSHARE Food Hub Program.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1154

Short Title: Expand the FarmSHARE Food Hub Program. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives McNeely, Penny, Gillespie, and Almond (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Appropriations, if favorable, Rules,
Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 4, 2026
*H1154-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO EXPAND THE FARMSHARE FOOD HUB PROGRAM, TO APPROPRI ATE 2
FUNDS TO THE NORTH C AROLINA FARMERS MARK ET NETWORK, AND TO 3
EXPAND THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 6
Agriculture and Consumer Services the sum of four million dollars ($4,000,000) in nonrecurring 7
funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be allocated to the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, 8
a nonprofit organization, to be used to provide grants to support the FarmSHARE program 9
administered by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association in working with partners across the 10
State to purchase locally grown food and distribute it free to food -insecure individuals and 11
households across North Carolina. 12
SECTION 1.(b) Until all funds appropriated by this section have been expended, the 13
Department shall annually report no later than October 1 from the Carolina Farm Stewardship 14
Association during the prior fiscal year to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee 15
on Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the Fiscal Research Division on at least 16
all of the following: 17
(1) The number of local farmers participating in the program. 18
(2) The participating food hub locations and community organizations, including 19
location type, providing access to participants in the program. 20
(3) The amount of food distributed by pound and number of food boxes 21
distributed annually. 22
SECTION 2.(a) Appropriation. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to 23
the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Department) the sum of two million 24
dollars ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to provide a grant to the 25
North Carol ina Farmers Market Network, a nonprofit organization, for a grant program 26
administered through its Double Up Food Bucks Program to make fresh fruits and vegetables 27
sold at farmers markets, food hubs, and other direct agricultural retail outlets accessible to 28
individuals and families who reside in the State and receive assistance through any federal or 29
State nutrition assistance programs. For purposes of this section, the term "fruits and vegetables" 30
includes any variety of fresh, canned, dried, or frozen fr uits and vegetables without added 31
sodium, sugars, fats, or oils. 32
SECTION 2.(b) Report. – The Department shall annually report no later than 33
October 1 until all funds have been expended to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on 34
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1154-First Edition
Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources and the Fiscal Research Division on the grants 1
provided under this section during the prior fiscal year. The report shall include, at a minimum, 2
all of the following: 3
(1) The number of nutrition assistance participants receiving gr ants through the 4
program. 5
(2) The number of local farmers participating in the program. 6
(3) A list of each participating location, categorized by location type, providing 7
access to participants in the program. 8
(4) The amount of financial benefits redeemed by participants during the prior 9
fiscal year. 10
(5) An assessment of the rate in which participants redeemed any financial 11
benefits made available by the program during the prior fiscal year. 12
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2026. 13