US HB6706

Requires USDA to prioritize purchasing foods from beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers, small and medium-sized operations, certified organic farms, and vendors with collective bargaining agreements or worker justice certifications

Establishes a "best value" procurement pilot program using evaluation criteria beyond lowest price, requiring at least 20% of annual USDA food spending to be selected through this tradeoff process for 5 years

Sets aside at least $2 million annually from fiscal years 2026-2031 for competitive procurement contracts specifically with covered producers and covered entities (food hubs sourcing 51%+ from covered producers)

Creates a competitive grant program with $25 million authorized for fiscal year 2026, providing up to $100,000 per eligible applicant for food safety certifications, audits, liability insurance, and related costs to help small producers become USDA vendors

Mandates baseline and annual reporting on USDA food purchasing by category, supply chain transparency, greenhouse gas emissions estimates, and targets to increase values-aligned procurement and reduce emissions by calendar year 2032