SNAP recipients, some middle-class families get $60 monthly for produce in new bill. Who qualifies?
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(NEXSTAR) – Some families could start getting $60 a month in extra food assistance, a new bill introduced in July proposes.
The “Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce” Act would establish a pilot program that awards grants to states so they can give the extra grocery money to lower-income and moderate-income people. To qualify for increased benefits, households would need to earn 80% or less than the median income of their area.
SNAP recipients would qualify for an added monthly benefit, but those who don’t receive SNAP money could also apply.
Eligible households would then get an additional $60 on top of their usual monthly SNAP benefits loaded onto their EBT cards, or a new EBT card if they aren’t receiving food assistance already.
The $60 would need to be spent on fruit or vegetables, which can be fresh, frozen or dried.
The bill proposes establishing a new grant program that would give certain states the extra funding to establish the pilot program. States would have to apply for the extra funding, and preference will be given to states that “prioritize food insecure communities,” the bill says.
If your state were to participate in the pilot program, then your household would be eligible to receive the extra $60 per month if you earn less than 80% of the area’s median income.
That income cap would vary greatly from place to place, from around $63,000 in Bismarck, North Dakota, to something like $113,000 in San Francisco, California. The exact income limits would be determined by the Departments of Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development.
The legislation was inspired by a pilot program in Seattle, which led to higher food security and participants having better access to produce, according to Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who introduced the bill in Congress.
The bill has quite a few hurdles to overcome before it becomes law. It was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture after being introduced on July 2. Members of that committee now have the opportunity to review the bill and make changes before potentially introducing it to the whole House for a vote. Then it would be up to the Senate to pass it and the president to sign it.
Rep. Jayapal urged Congress to take swift action. “We must pass this legislation to expand the program nationwide and get families in every corner of the country healthy produce they can afford.”
An estimated 37 million Americans receive benefits under SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program. Recent changes have cut the number of people who qualify for food assistance, and more cuts could be on the way.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Congress has introduced the 'Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce' Act, which would establish a pilot program providing $60 monthly produce vouchers to lower and moderate-income households. Eligibility is capped at 80% of the area median income—a threshold that varies significantly by geography. Both SNAP recipients and non-recipients could qualify, receiving the funds on EBT cards to spend exclusively on fruits and vegetables. The federal government would issue grants to participating states. The bill draws from a Seattle pilot program that showed improved food security and produce access. It requires standard legislative review and approval before implementation.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Skip to content
(NEXSTAR) – Some families could start getting $60 a month in extra food assistance, a new bill introduced in July proposes.
The “Fresh Bucks for Fresh Produce” Act would establish a pilot program that awards grants to states so they can give the extra grocery money to lower-income and moderate-income people. To qualify for increased benefits, households would need to earn 80% or less than the median income of their area.
SNAP recipients would qualify for an added monthly benefit, but those who don’t receive SNAP money could also apply.
Eligible households would then get an additional $60 on top of their usual monthly SNAP benefits loaded onto their EBT cards, or a new EBT card if they aren’t receiving food assistance already.
The $60 would need to be spent on fruit or vegetables, which can be fresh, frozen or dried.
The bill proposes establishing a new grant program that would give certain states the extra funding to establish the pilot program. States would have to apply for the extra funding, and preference will be given to states that “prioritize food insecure communities,” the bill says.
If your state were to participate in the pilot program, then your household would be eligible to receive the extra $60 per month if you earn less than 80% of the area’s median income.
That income cap would vary greatly from place to place, from around $63,000 in Bismarck, North Dakota, to something like $113,000 in San Francisco, California. The exact income limits would be determined by the Departments of Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development.
The legislation was inspired by a pilot program in Seattle, which led to higher food security and participants having better access to produce, according to Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who introduced the bill in Congress.
The bill has quite a few hurdles to overcome before it becomes law. It was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture after being introduced on July 2. Members of that committee now have the opportunity to review the bill and make changes before potentially introducing it to the whole House for a vote. Then it would be up to the Senate to pass it and the president to sign it.
Rep. Jayapal urged Congress to take swift action. “We must pass this legislation to expand the program nationwide and get families in every corner of the country healthy produce they can afford.”
An estimated 37 million Americans receive benefits under SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program. Recent changes have cut the number of people who qualify for food assistance, and more cuts could be on the way.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
A new bill introduced in July proposes establishing a pilot program awarding $60 monthly to eligible households for produce purchases. Households earning 80% or less of their area's median income qualify, with income thresholds ranging from approximately $63,000 in Bismarck, North Dakota to $113,000 in San Francisco, California. Both current SNAP recipients and non-recipients can apply, with funds loaded onto EBT cards. Funds must be spent on fresh, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables. States would apply for federal grants and preference would be given to those prioritizing food-insecure communities. The bill was inspired by a Seattle pilot program that led to higher food security and better produce access. The legislation must pass House Agricultural Committee review, full House vote, Senate passage, and presidential signature. An estimated 37 million Americans currently receive SNAP benefits, with recent changes having reduced eligibility and further cuts potentially coming. The proposal addresses the need to expand access to healthy produce that families can afford.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
- A proposed bill would give eligible households $60 monthly to spend on produce via EBT cards
- Eligibility requires earning 80% or less of local median income, varying by location ($63k–$113k examples given)
- The program would include both current SNAP recipients and non-recipients; funds must be spent on fresh, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables
- The bill proposes a state grant pilot program inspired by a successful Seattle pilot
- The legislation faces standard congressional review and passage hurdles before becoming law