Buying local: USDA's simplified geographic preference rule takes effect Nov. 9
USDA's direct final rule clarifying geographic preference for local buying in child nutrition programs takes effect Nov. 9, 2026, unless adverse comments forced a withdrawal. It replaces "procurement specification" with "product specification" and "selection criteria" with "defined scoring advantage." It affirms that operators decide how a scoring advantage is applied and how much preference local products get, and confirms solicitations may use terms like local, locally grown, raised or caught. It also drops the undefined term "minimally processed." USDA says the meaning of the rules doesn't change and ties the clarity to the MAHA strategy.
Why it matters for directors: Before your next produce or protein bid, update your solicitation templates to the new terms and spell out your local definition and scoring advantage so local buys hold up in review.