WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representatives John Garamendi (CA-08) and James Gallagher (CA-01) reintroduced the American Food for American Schools Act, legislation to ensure that American-grown food is served in school meals. Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. 

“California is the largest agricultural producer in the United States, providing produce for the entire country and parts of the world. Yet, school districts in our own farming communities still use taxpayer dollars to buy imported food. Some of those imported products have even been recalled due to safety concerns, when they could have been sourced locally in California,” said Congressman Garamendi (CA-08). 

“That’s why I’m proud to once again introduce the American Food for American Schools Act, with my colleagues Congressman James Gallagher, Senator Sheehy and Senator Schiff, which would ensure that our schoolchildren are served nutritious, American-grown food produced under the strictest safety standards in the world.” 

“Our farmers should be at the forefront as we improve school meal programs. The American Food for American Schools Act puts American-grown food on our children’s lunch trays while creating new opportunities for the farmers who feed our nation,” said Congressman Gallagher (CA-01). “Northern California produces some of the highest-quality food in the world, and it is common sense to buy from our own farmers instead of importing food from foreign countries. This bipartisan bill strengthens American agriculture and gives students access to nutritious meals made with products grown right here at home.” 

“It doesn’t make sense for American schools to purchase imported food when the very best beef and agricultural products are produced right here at home, including in my home state of Montana. Buying U.S.-grown agricultural products not only protects the health and wellbeing of American kids, but also supports our nation’s economy, American farmers and ranchers, and small and local agricultural businesses,” said Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT). “The American Food for American Schools Act strengthens the ‘Buy American’ requirement for schools to build a more secure domestic food chain and ensures federal policies back the producers who feed our nation, not foreign competitors.” 

“Ensuring that our schools purchase as much American produce as possible is crucial to supporting our farmers and economy,” said Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA). “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan and bicameral bill with Senator Sheehy and Representatives Garamendi and Gallagher.” 

STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT 

“The Teamsters are proud to endorse Representatives Garamendi and Gallagher’s American Food for American School’s Act. When school districts purchase food using our tax dollars, they should support American farmers and American workers,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “On behalf of tens of thousands of Teamsters in the food processing industry, we strongly support this effort to ensure safer and better products for students, while also creating opportunities for the Americans who grow, package, ship, and deliver domestically grown food.” 

“Increasing imports of canned fruits and vegetables are one of the greatest threats to our industry given lower labor and steel costs in other parts of the world,” said Paul Palmby, President & CEO of Seneca Foods, speaking as a founding leader of the American Fruit & Vegetable Coalition. “We have also observed that fruit and vegetable imports continue to be a driving force behind our nation’s increased dependence on foreign food imports. We applaud this critical effort to empower and support our schools, parents, and American businesses with common-sense, modernized Buy America policies.” 

“Farm Bureau applauds Senators Sheehy and Schiff, and Representatives Garamendi and Gallagher, for advancing legislation that supports both American agriculture and child nutrition,” said Dr. John Newton, AFBF Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Analysis. “By expanding access to high-quality, domestically grown food in school meal programs, this bill will help ensure students receive nutritious meals while also supporting U.S. farmers.” 

“American farmers and ranchers raise the highest quality crops and livestock in the world. Just like farmers nationwide, we here in Montana we are proud of the products we grow so we appreciate the effort to highlight the importance of delivering this healthy, delicious food to kids in our local schools and beyond,” said Cyndi Johnson, Montana Farm Bureau Federation President and farmer from Conrad. “We applaud Senator Sheehy, his co-sponsors and counterparts in the House, for bringing this legislation, which will bring more of these high-quality, American raised foods to school children across the United States.”  

BACKGROUND: 

The American Food for American Schools Act would strengthen and clarify the existing Buy America requirements for USDA school meal programs, ensuring that taxpayer-funded school food purchases support American farmers and food producers whenever possible. 

Specifically, the legislation would: 

  • Codify limited exceptions to the Buy America requirement, allowing waivers only when domestic commodities or products are not reasonably available in sufficient quantity or quality. 
  • Require schools that receive a waiver to notify parents that American-grown food is not being provided. 
  • Limit waivers to no more than 5 percent of a school food authority’s annual commercial food costs within each food component. 
  • Require USDA to publish information on Buy America compliance, including a list of approved waivers and foreign products purchased without a waiver. This transparency would help domestic producers identify opportunities to challenge waivers or enter the market with American-grown products. 
  • Streamline the Buy America contracting process by establishing uniform contract requirements for school food procurement. If a supplier provides foreign-sourced products in violation of a Buy America contract, schools would receive safe-harbor protections, and USDA would be authorized to seek reimbursement from the supplier. Those funds would support USDA’s Buy American Procurement Training Program. 
  • Extend Buy America requirements to additional USDA child nutrition programs, including the School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Afterschool Snack Program, and Special Milk Program. 

ENDORSEMENTS: 

  • Teamsters 
  • American Farm Bureau 
  • California Farm Bureau 
  • Montana Farm Bureau 
  • American Fruit and Vegetable Coalition 

###