Budzinski and Luján Introduce Legislation to Strengthen the Resilience of the U.S. Food Supply Chains

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), a member of the House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Grocery, Farm, and Food Worker Stabilization Grant Program Act, legislation that would create a new, permanent grant program to provide stabilization payments to farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers in the case of a major disaster.

“During disasters, workers at grocery stores, farms, and meatpacking plants are on the front lines, ensuring families in Illinois and across the country continue to have access to safe, reliable food,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. "With global instability on the rise, there’s no better time to strengthen the resilience of our food system. I’m proud to partner with Senator Luján and grateful for the support of the UFCW as we work to protect the workers who keep our food system running and our families fed.”

“Across the country, our farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers show up day in and day out to perform the demanding and often dangerous work necessary to keep our communities fed,” said Senator Luján. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us exactly how fragile our food supply chains can be, and we must learn from the past and work to strengthen the resilience of our food system. That is why I am partnering with Representative Budzinski on this legislation that would provide the vital support our farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers need to ensure our communities stay fed in times of disaster and crisis.”

The Grocery, Farm, and Food Worker Stabilization Grant Program Act is endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW).

“We are proud to endorse the Grocery, Farm and Food Worker Stabilization Grant Program Act. This legislation would create a program to compensate millions of workers across the food supply chain who risk their lives to keep families fed when disaster or crisis strikes. While the now-terminated Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) Grant Program provided some relief to frontline food workers during the pandemic, it would be a grave mistake to ignore the lessons we’ve learned regarding just how vulnerable our food chain can be. Permanent programs are needed to ensure these essential workers are adequately supported, and families continue to have access to food and supplies in times of crisis. We applaud Sen. Luján (D-NM) and Rep. Budzinski (D-IL) for their leadership,” said UFCW International President Milton Jones.

In 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture created the Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) Grant Program to help farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers with the COVID-19 pandemic-related health and safety costs. The FFWR Grant Program distributed nearly $680 million in competitive grant funding to farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Grocery, Farm, and Food Worker Stabilization Grant Program Act would create a new, permanent grant program similar to the FFWR Grant Program to provide stabilization payments to farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers in the case of a natural disaster or other disaster as determined by the President or Governor of the impacted state.

Full bill text is available HERE.

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