Committee on Health advances Bill 26‑109 to streamline farmers market licensing and create grant program

The Committee on Health advanced Bill 26‑109, the Farmers Market Support Amendment Act of 2025, unanimously at a virtual meeting Friday, May 9, directing staff to prepare a committee print with technical changes, Committee Chair and at‑large Councilmember Christina Henderson said.

The bill, introduced in January by Henderson with Councilmembers Alan Fruman, Brianna Doe, Zachary Parker and Robert White, would create a farmers market support program at DC Health, establish a grant program to incentivize markets in low‑food‑access areas, waive certain fees for markets operating in those areas and require a centralized online application portal by January 2028. Henderson said the measure also makes changes to the Statewide Health Information Coordinating Council (SHIC) requested by DC Health.

Henderson said farmers markets "are essential for increasing access to healthy and affordable food and supporting small farmers and district small businesses." She summarized testimony heard at the committee's March 17 public hearing, including an account that a farmer operator told the panel, "you either pay the…