Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.-17) introduced the Cutting Cumbersome Overhead for Small-farm Testing Savings (COSTS) Act, a bipartisan bill that aims to bring down your grocery bill by allowing small farms to bring more affordable, local food into grocery stores.
“I hear time and time again that grocery costs are going up and access to local food is going down – this bill would change that,” said Vindman. “As the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, I’m proud to introduce this commonsense, bipartisan bill with Congressman Lawler to lower the certification burden for small farms and help working families pay less at the grocery store.”
“Many farmers face steep costs to meet the food-safety standards required by wholesalers and grocery stores,” said Lawler. “By directing USDA to reimburse producers for Good Agricultural Practices audits, this bill helps level the playing field for local farms seeking new markets and strengthens regional food systems, bringing more affordable, locally grown produce to families across the country.”
Farmers are currently required to pass a third-party food safety certification, known as a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) audit, which evaluates on-farm practices that reduce food safety risks. Many wholesale buyers and grocery retailers mandate that farms pass this audit before purchasing produce.
For small and beginning farmers, the cost of these audits can be a significant barrier. This bill directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a program to reimburse eligible producers for the cost of completing GAP audits — helping small farms meet safety standards, access new markers, and bring more affordable local food into grocery stores. By expanding market access for local producers, the measure will help strengthen regional food systems and lower the cost of produce for consumers.
Specifically, the Cutting COSTS Act would:
- Establish a five-year USDA pilot program to cover the cost of GAP audits for small and beginning farms
- Finance the program through CCC funds, avoiding the need for new discretionary spending
- Require annual USDA reports to the House and Senate on the success of the program
BACKGROUND
USDA currently charges $108 per hour for GAP audit services, in addition to auditor travel expenses. Typical audits for small farms cost between $750 and $1,200 per year, with some operations paying $2,500 or more annually depending on complexity and distance. For producers earning less than $50,000 in farm income, these recurring costs create a significant barrier to accessing larger retail markets.
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