H 1154

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