Reps. Sykes, De La Cruz, Bynum Introduce Bipartisan Food Farmacy Act

Reps. Sykes, De La Cruz, Bynum Introduce Bipartisan Food Farmacy Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, U.S. Representatives Emilia Sykes (D-OH) and Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, along with Bipartisan Women's Caucus vice chair Janelle Bynum (D-OR) introduced the bipartisan Food Farmacy Act, to expand access to nutritious foods and provide nutritional guidance. Food farmacies and similar programs often operate out of hospitals or health care providers, allowing patients to receive treatment and access nutrition education. Research has shown that food farmacies can be effective in improving patient understanding of nutrition and removing barriers to healthy eating, and in turn may have a significant impact on diet-related health outcomes.

"I know food farmacies work because, as a state legislator, I created a program to fund the establishment of food farmacies in Ohio and have seen the positive impact they can have on patients battling chronic illness," said Rep. Sykes. "I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to create a national program to expand food farmacies and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure every American can access healthy food."

"For many in South Texas, access to healthy food and nutritional education is a major challenge. Food pharmacies offer a solution by not only providing nutritious options but also educating on healthy diet habits," said Rep. De La Cruz. "This bipartisan bill will unlock federal funding, ensuring more operations can reach low-income and rural communities and lead to better health for more Americans."

"Too many Oregonians - and Americans - live in food deserts without access to nutritious food options that don't break the bank," said Rep. Bynum. "Food pharmacies help close the gap in these communities by providing access to these options and information about making healthy choices. I'm proud to be leading this bipartisan legislation to support these initiatives and keep our families healthy and thriving."

While serving in the Ohio State House of Representatives, Congresswoman Sykes secured state funding for the creation of a pilot program to establish food farmacies in Summit County, Ohio. The $1 million grant supported the creation of three food farmacies at Akron Children's Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, and Summa Health System with the support of Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank. In 2024 alone, the Akron Children's Hospital Food Farmacy provided more than 130,000 meals to more than 21,000 individuals.

"We applaud U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes for leading efforts to introduce the Food Farmacy Act, which has the potential to transform how hospitals and health care providers support patients and families. At Akron Children's, we see firsthand how access to nutritious food reduces barriers to health and improves outcomes for children and their families. By creating federal funding opportunities for food farmacies, this legislation would help hospitals like ours expand services, renovate space, and secure healthy food options under the guidance of health care professionals. We are grateful for Rep. Sykes' vision and leadership in addressing food insecurity as a critical part of health care," said Chris Gessner, president and CEO, Akron Children's Hospital.

"This legislation marks a significant step forward in recognizing that food is medicine. Supporting healthy food pharmacies is an investment where nutrition is embraced as a cornerstone of healthcare-especially for communities that need it most. At Cleveland Clinic, we've seen firsthand how access to nutritious food, paired with personalized guidance, can profoundly improve lives. This bill highlights that true wellness begins not just in medical facilities, but at every meal," said Dr. Monica Yepes-Rios, Medical Director of Community Health and Food as Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

In July 2025 Congresswoman De La Cruz visited Akron Children's Hospital with Congresswoman Sykes to see the food farmacy firsthand and hear from hospital employees about the impact it has made on their patients and their health since its establishment.

The Food Farmacy Act:

• Authorizes $10 million for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2030 for grants to support food farmacies;
• Provides funding to eligible entities to construct, convert, or renovate space for a food farmacy;
• Provides funding for equipment, staffing, and food for the food farmacy;
• Makes eligible non-profit health care providers, State and local governments, and Tribal organizations for this funding;
• Requires eligible entities to include a plan for long-term sustainability beyond the expiration of their grant to ensure the food farmacy can operate for years to come;
• Requires a report to Congress on the effectiveness of this program.

Additionally, this week Representatives Sykes, De La Cruz, and Bynym sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy to inform him of the introduction of this legislation and its connection to the priorities he has stated in the Make America Healthy Agenda.

The letter states, in part:

In an effort to improve health outcomes and address poor nutrition, we are writing to make you aware of the recently introduced Food Farmacy Act. This legislation would create a grant program to support food farmacies, which provide access to nutritious foods and nutrition counseling with the goal of improving health outcomes.

As you may know, more than 60 percent of adults in the United States have at least one diet-related chronic disease, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, and many more. Chronic disease has become the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in America, and we know that diet is a major risk factor. Research shows that a healthy diet is associated with positive health outcomes across the board, and that a lack of access to nutritious foods is associated with increased risk of chronic illness. This lack of access to healthy foods poses a real cost to our communities, 90 percent of annual health care spending in the United States stems from chronic diseases, including $237 billion spent on diabetes and $400 billion on cardiovascular disease. We cannot afford to let chronic disease take more lives, and it is clear that expanding access to nutritious foods is going to be a major part of this effort.

Read the full letter here.