Authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide produce prescriptions, including vouchers or debit cards, so veterans with diet-related chronic conditions can purchase fruits and vegetables.

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) today introduced the Produce Prescription for Veterans Act, new legislation that would authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide produce prescriptions to veterans.

Pingree introduced legislation to authorize the VA to provide produce prescriptions that help veterans buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Durbin, Pingree, Buchanan Introduce Bicameral, Bipartisan Legislation to Establish ‘Produce Prescription’ Program for Veterans | U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree
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Section 4205 of the 2018 Farm Bill amended the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program to include grants for nutrition incentive programs and produce prescription programs administered through the Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Congress enacted a federal produce-prescription authority, but it was a USDA grant program rather than a VA benefit for veterans with diet-related chronic conditions.

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Public Law 115-334, Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
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Congress.gov records H.R. 2 becoming Public Law 115-334 on December 20, 2018 after House and Senate passage of the conference report.

The related USDA produce-prescription authority was enacted into law, establishing partial progress on produce prescriptions generally but not the VA-specific promise.

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Congress.gov: H.R.2 - Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Actions
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USDA describes GusNIP as supporting projects that increase fruit and vegetable purchases and includes produce prescription projects through USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Current agency implementation confirms the produce-prescription program sits at USDA, not VA, so it does not fulfill the veteran-specific VA authorization.

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USDA NIFA: Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program
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VA's food security resources focus on screening veterans for food insecurity and connecting them with food and nutrition assistance resources; the page does not identify a VA produce-prescription voucher or debit-card benefit.

VA appears to address veteran food insecurity through screening and referrals rather than the promised VA produce-prescription purchasing benefit.

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VA Nutrition and Food Services: Food Security
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Targeted searches for legislation combining Department of Veterans Affairs or VA with produce prescription, vouchers, debit cards, fruits, vegetables, and veterans did not identify an enacted VA produce-prescription authorization as of July 2, 2026.

No official legislative record was found showing Congress authorized VA to provide veterans produce prescriptions with vouchers or debit cards.

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Congress.gov Legislation Search: Department of Veterans Affairs produce prescription
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