District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0109 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
2	2	The John A. Wilson Building
3	3	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, nw
4	4	Washington, D.C. 20004
5	5
6	6
7	7
8	8	Statement of Introduction
9	9	Farmers Market Support Amendment Act of 2025
10	10	February 3, 2025
11	11
12	12	Today, I am pleased to introduce the Farmers Market Support Amendment Act of 2025, along with
13	13	Councilmembers Charles Allen, Matthew Frumin, Brianne K. Nadeau, Zachary Parker, and Robert
14	14	C. White, Jr. This legislation would establish a Farmers Market Support Program within the
15	15	Department of Health to provide technical assistance, streamline permitting processes, and
16	16	coordinate across agencies to support farmers markets. The legislation also creates a grant program
17	17	to incentivize farmers markets to open and expand operations in low food access areas by funding
18	18	operational costs, infrastructure, and year-round operations. The legislation also standardizes
19	19	licensing requirements for farmers markets and offers discounted permitting fees for markets
20	20	operating in low food access areas.
21	21	Farmers markets are essential for improving access to healthy, affordable food, supporting small-
22	22	scale farmers and District-owned small businesses, and fostering community connections. There
23	23	are currently 48 independently operated DC farmers markets operating across all 8 Wards, and
24	24	almost all DC farmers markets host shoppers that use federal and local food assistance programs.
25	25	The District also offers a wide-range of benefits for low-income residents to shop at farmers
26	26	markets, including Produce Plus and Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for women, children,
27	27	and seniors. Farmers markets are also a proven strategy to incubate District-owned small
28	28	businesses, to boost the sales of nearby brick-and-mortar businesses, and to activate public spaces.
29	29	Many neighborhoods in the District do not have access to healthy food, with approximately
30	30	330,000 residents living in areas classified as low food access, including 111,000 earning less than
31	31	185% of the federal poverty line. As the District works to attract full service grocery stores to low
32	32	food access areas, farmers markets can be an important part of the solution. To support farmers
33	33	markets across the District, the proposed Farmers Market Support Program at DC Health will
34	34	streamline the permitting process, provide technical assistance to markets, and enhance access to
35	35	nutrition benefits like SNAP, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. The
36	36	Program could also provide ride-share services, home delivery, and other logistical support to
37	37	reduce participation barriers.
38	38	This legislation directly supports farmers markets in low food access neighborhoods by creating a
39	39	grant program to help cover operational costs, infrastructure, and extended seasonal operations,
40	40	while also requiring discounted permitting fees to markets in low food access areas. These
41	41	measures aim to encourage the establishment and sustainability of farmers markets in low food
42	42	Christina Henderson Committee Member
43	43	Councilmember, At-Large Hospital and Health Equity
44	44	Chairperson, Committee on Health Judiciary and Public Safety
45	45	Transportation and the Environment
46	46	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
47	47	The John A. Wilson Building
48	48	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, nw
49	49	Washington, D.C. 20004
50	50
51	51	access communities, significantly increasing access to fresh, locally grown food and promoting
52	52	long-term food security.
53	53	I look forward to working with my Council colleagues to make this critical investment in food
54	54	equity, economic opportunity, and public health, ensuring that all District residents—regardless of
55	55	their ZIP code—can enjoy the benefits of fresh, healthy, and locally sourced food. 1
56	56	______________________________ ______________________________ 1
57	57	Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Christina Henderson 2
58	58	3
59	59	4
60	60	______________________________ ______________________________ 5
61	61	Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Matthew Frumin 6
62	62	7
63	63	8
64	64	______________________________ ______________________________ 9
65	65	Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 10
66	66	11
67	67	12
68	68	A BILL 13
69	69	14
70	70	________________ 15
71	71	16
72	72	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 17
73	73	18
74	74	_______________ 19
75	75	20
76	76	To amend the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001 to establish a farmers 21
77	77	market program within the Department of Health to provide technical assistance to 22
78	78	farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets, to recommend improvements to 23
79	79	permitting processes and regulations, to oversee coordination between agencies 24
80	80	regulating farmers markets, to administer a farmers market grant program, and to 25
81	81	establish a farmers market grant program; and to amend the Vending Regulation Act of 26
82	82	2009 to require the Mayor to standardize licensing and permitting requirements for 27
83	83	farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets. 28
84	84	29
85	85	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 30
86	86	act may be cited as the “Farmers Market Support Amendment Act of 2025”. 31
87	87	Sec. 2. The Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001, effective October 32
88	88	3, 2001 (D.C. Law 14-28; D.C. Official Code § 7-731 et seq.), is amended by adding a new 33
89	89	subtitle C-ii to read as follows: 34
90	90	“Subtitle C-ii. Farmers Markets. 35
91	91	“Sec 4938. Definitions. 36
92	92	“For the purposes of this subtitle, the term: 37 2
93	93	“(1) “Farmer” means a person or entity that raises or produces farm products on land that 38
94	94	the person or entity farms and owns, rents, or leases in the District of Columbia, Virginia, West 39
95	95	Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, or New Jersey, for direct sale to 40
96	96	consumers. 41
97	97	“(2) “Farm products” means fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, nuts, shell eggs, honey 42
98	98	or other bee products, flowers, nursery stock, livestock food products, including meat, milk, 43
99	99	cheese, and other dairy products, and fish. 44
100	100	“(3) “Farmers market” means a market at a fixed location with two or more vendors, 45
101	101	open to the public, operated by a government agency, a nonprofit, a business, or one or more 46
102	102	farmers or producers, that operates at least 6 times per calendar year, and includes at least one 47
103	103	farmer, and where at least 50 percent of vendors are providing direct-to-consumer sales of locally 48
104	104	grown farm products or locally processed food products. 49
105	105	“(4) “Farm stand” means a fixed location with one vendor, open to the public, operated 50
106	106	by a government agency, a nonprofit, a business, or one or more farmers or producers, that 51
107	107	operates at least 6 times per calendar year, and where at least 50% of sales consist of direct-to-52
108	108	consumer sales of locally grown farm products. 53
109	109	“(5) “Mobile market” means a mobile farm stand that travels to two or more fixed 54
110	110	locations and operates, in total, at least 6 times per calendar year. 55
111	111	“(6) “Locally grown” has the same meaning as in section 101(3) of the Healthy Schools 56
112	112	Act of 2010, effective July 27, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-209; D.C. Official Code § 38-821.01(3)). 57
113	113	“(7) “Locally processed food products” means foods that have been processed, including 58
114	114	canning, cooking, dehydrating, milling, or the addition of other ingredients, in the same states 59
115	115	included in the definition of “locally grown” in subsection 6 of this section. Processed foods 60 3
116	116	include cooked ready-to-eat foods, bread, baked goods, pickles, jams, and farm products that 61
117	117	have been processed into value-added farm products. 62
118	118	“(8) “Low food access area” means a census tract where: 63
119	119	“(A) More than 20% of households earn 185% or less of the federal poverty line; 64
120	120	and 65
121	121	“(B) At least 500 people or 33%, whichever is greater, of the population live more 66
122	122	than 0.5 miles or a 10-minute walk from a grocery store. 67
123	123	“(9) “Producer” means a person or entity that produces locally processed food products. 68
124	124	“(10) “Value-added farm product” means any product processed by a producer from a 69
125	125	farm product. 70
126	126	“Sec. 4939. Farmers Market Support Program. 71
127	127	“(a) There is established in the Department of Health a Farmers Market Support Program 72
128	128	(“program”), which shall: 73
129	129	“(1) Provide information and technical assistance relating to permitting, licensure, 74
130	130	accepting federal and local benefits, and any other relevant support to any farmers market, farm 75
131	131	stand, or mobile market operating or seeking to operate in the District; 76
132	132	“(2) Review and provide recommendations to improve existing District licensing, 77
133	133	permitting, and processes for establishing and operating a farmers market, farm stand, or mobile 78
134	134	market; 79
135	135	“(3) Convene and coordinate with District agencies involved in permitting and 80
136	136	supporting farmers markets, including the Office of Planning, the Department of Transportation, 81
137	137	the Department of Small and Local Business Development, and the Department of Licensing and 82
138	138	Consumer Protection; 83 4
139	139	“(4) Establish and annually update a publicly available online map with farmers 84
140	140	market, farm stand, and mobile market locations, including locations and hours of operation; 85
141	141	86
142	142	“(5) Conduct marketing and promotion activities to encourage customers to use 87
143	143	farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets with a focus on those located in low 88
144	144	food access areas; 89
145	145	“(6) Administer the farmers market support grant program established under 90
146	146	subsection (c) of this section; and 91
147	147	“(7) Procure equipment and services to increase access to fresh produce and 92
148	148	improve farmers market, farm stand, and mobile market infrastructure. 93
149	149	“(b) The program may: 94
150	150	“(1) Evaluate the health and economic impacts of farmers markets, farm stands, 95
151	151	and mobile markets on customers that shop at the market and nearby businesses; 96
152	152	“(2) Apply for any federal, state, local, or private grant programs or funding 97
153	153	opportunities that would support farmers markets, farm stands, or mobile markets in the District 98
154	154	or activities of the program; 99
155	155	“(3) Assist with accepting federal and local nutrition benefits; 100
156	156	“(4) Provide vendors with assistance in obtaining equipment, technology, 101
157	157	software, or other e-commerce tools; and 102
158	158	“(5) Offer direct support to residents, including ride-share benefits, home delivery 103
159	159	services, and other programs that improve access to markets. 104 5
160	160	“(c) The program shall establish and administer a grant program to provide at least 105
161	161	$250,000 in grant funding to farmers markets located in low food access areas. Eligible uses of 106
162	162	the grant funding shall include: 107
163	163	“(1) Purchasing materials to establish or expand a farmers market, farm stand, or 108
164	164	mobile market, including tables, tents, signage, storage, and marketing materials; 109
165	165	“(2) Financial assistance to an entity located in a low food access area to host a 110
166	166	farmers market, farm stand, or mobile market on its property; 111
167	167	“(3) Operational and staffing costs; 112
168	168	“(4) Extending operations for an existing farmers market, farm stand, or mobile 113
169	169	market during cold weather months outside of its normal operating season; 114
170	170	“(5) Public safety and post-market cleanup related services; and 115
171	171	“(6) Customer incentives, including matching programs for federal and local 116
172	172	benefits and coupons. 117
173	173	“(d)(1) The grant funding in subsection (c) shall be available to existing farmers markets, 118
174	174	farm stands, and mobile markets, and to entities that show sufficient proof, as established by the 119
175	175	Department of Health through rulemaking, that they intend to operate a farmers market, farm 120
176	176	stand, or mobile market in the eligible area. 121
177	177	“(2) Preference for grant funding shall be given to entities that are providing 122
178	178	locally grown fruits and vegetables, or which include District of Columbia-owned businesses as 123
179	179	vendors.”. 124
180	180	Sec. 3. The Vending Regulation Act of 2009, effective October 22, 2009 (D.C. Law 18-125
181	181	71; D.C. Official Code § 37-131.01 et seq.), is amended as follows: 126
182	182	(a) Section 7 (D.C. Official Code § 37-131.06) is amended as follows: 127 6
183	183	(1) The existing language is designated as subsection (a). 128
184	184	(2) A new subsection (b) is added to read as follows: 129
185	185	“(b) The Mayor shall post on a public facing website standardized requirements for a 130
186	186	license, permit, or authorization to operate a farmers market, farm stand, or mobile market in the 131
187	187	District.”. 132
188	188	(b) Section 8(a-1) (D.C. Official Code § 37-131.07(a-1)) is amended by adding a new 133
189	189	paragraph (2A) to read as follows: 134
190	190	“(2A) For a farmers market, farm stand, or mobile market as defined by section 135
191	191	4938 of the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001, as introduced on 136
192	192	___________ (Bill 26-__), located, or applying to locate, in a low food access area, as defined 137
193	193	by section 4938(8) of the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001, as 138
194	194	introduced on ___________ (Bill 26-__), seeking to obtain or renew a license, permit, or 139
195	195	authorization under this section, the Mayor shall charge a fee that is discounted by a minimum of 140
196	196	50% from the standard cost.”. 141
197	197	Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 142
198	198	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 143
199	199	impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, 144
200	200	approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; DC. . Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(3)). 145
201	201	Sec. 5. Effective date. 146
202	202	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 147
203	203	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional 148
204	204	review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved 149
205	205	December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 150