Farmers/food programs

AN ACT Relating to supporting Washington farmers feeding 1
families; amending RCW 43.23.330; adding a new section to chapter 2
43.23 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 43.23.330 and 2024 c 341 s 204 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) The department must implement the Washington ((commodities)) 7
farm donation grant program established in this section. The purpose 8
of the program is to procure Washington grown produce, grains, dairy, 9
and protein otherwise at risk of ending up as food waste for 10
distribution to hunger relief organizations for use in Washington 11
state. 12
(2) The program established in this section must, to the extent 13
practicable: 14
(a) Rely upon existing infrastructure and similar grant programs 15
currently being implemented in Washington, in order to maximize the 16
beneficial impacts of the program in the short-term, and to 17
expeditiously enable the distribution of grants under this section;18
(b) Be designed to achieve efficiencies of scale by the grant 19
recipients carrying out food acquisitions and distributions and to 20
target large volume food acquisition opportunities;21
H-2814.2
HOUSE BILL 2463
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Reeves, Bernbaum, Parshley, Thai, Gregerson,
Doglio, Kloba, Springer, Nance, and Hill
Read first time 01/14/26. Referred to Committee on Agriculture &
Natural Resources.
p. 1 HB 2463
(c) Give priority to recipient organizations ((that have )) with 1
at least five years of experience that solely function for the 2
purpose of coordinating the collection and transportation of donated 3
or contracted agricultural products to regional food bank 4
((distributors)) distribution organizations , statewide food bank 5
distribution centers, or both, for redistribution to local hunger 6
relief agencies; and 7
(d) Provide for equitable benefits experienced from the program 8
by food producers of varying sizes and types, including minority and 9
vulnerable farmers, including veterans, women, and federally 10
recognized Indian tribes. 11
(3) The department must issue grants under this section to one or 12
more nonprofit organizations to acquire food directly from food 13
producers located in Washington. A recipient nonprofit organization 14
may use funds under this section to compensate food producers 15
donating commodities for pick and pack out costs incurred associated 16
with the production of a food product, including costs of food 17
product inputs and harvest, and for their marginal postharvest 18
logistical and administrative costs that facilitate the acquisition 19
and distribution of the food product by grant recipients.20
(4) An organization that receives funds under this section must 21
report the results of the project to the department in a manner 22
prescribed by the department. 23
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.23 24
RCW to read as follows: 25
(1) The department must implement the farm to food pantry program 26
established in this section. The purpose of the program is to 27
strengthen community-based food systems by providing up front 28
funding, contract models, and administrative support to nonprofit 29
hunger relief organizations to facilitate direct purchasing from 30
local small-scale farmers. 31
(2) The department, in partnership with a nonprofit organization 32
whose mission is to cultivate, strengthen, and connect food system 33
partners to ensure healthy food for people in need, must issue grants 34
under this section to nonprofit hunger relief organizations to 35
establish wholesale contracts for direct purchasing of agricultural 36
products from local small-scale farmers. 37
p. 2 HB 2463
(3) An organization that receives funds under this section must 1
report to the department on the use of the funds in a manner 2
prescribed by the department. 3
(4) The department may adopt rules to implement this section.4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act may be known and cited as the 5
Washington farmers feeding families act.6
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p. 3 HB 2463