---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7503"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7503"
heading: "State plan"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7503"
units:
  - "Chapter 102 — Emergency Food Assistance"
---

# §7503. State plan

- (a) **Plans—**
  - (1) **In general—** To receive commodities under this chapter, a [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) an operation and administration plan for the provision of benefits under this chapter.
  - (2) **Updates—** A [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) for approval any amendment to a plan submitted under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) in any case in which the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) proposes to make a change to the operation or administration of a program described in the plan.
- (b) **Requirements—** Each plan shall—
  - (1) designate the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) agency responsible for distributing the commodities received under this chapter;
  - (2) set forth a plan of operation and administration to expeditiously distribute commodities under this chapter;
  - (3) set forth the standards of eligibility for recipient agencies;
  - (4) set forth the standards of eligibility for individual or household recipients of commodities, which shall require—
    - (A) individuals or households to be comprised of needy [persons](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1); and
    - (B) individual or household members to be residing in the geographic location served by the distributing agency at the time of applying for assistance;
  - (5) at the option of the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) agency, describe a plan of operation for 1 or more projects in partnership with 1 or more [emergency feeding organizations](/usc/7/7501.md?p=4) located in the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) to harvest, process, package, or transport donated commodities received under [section 7507(d) of this title](/usc/7/7507.md?p=d); and
  - (6) describe a plan, which may include the use of a [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) advisory board established under [subsection (c)](#c), that provides [emergency feeding organizations](/usc/7/7501.md?p=4) or [eligible recipient agencies](/usc/7/7501.md?p=3) within the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) an opportunity to provide input on the commodity preferences and needs of the [emergency feeding organization](/usc/7/7501.md?p=4) or [eligible recipient agency](/usc/7/7501.md?p=3).
- (c) **State advisory board—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall encourage each [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) receiving commodities under this chapter to establish a [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5) advisory board consisting of representatives of all entities in the [State](/usc/7/198.md?p=5), both public and private, interested in the distribution of commodities received under this chapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–8, title II, § 202A, as added Pub. L. 100–77, title VIII, § 812, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 537; amended Pub. L. 104–193, title VIII, § 871(b), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2344; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4201(b), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1121; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4201(b), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1882; Pub. L. 115–334, title IV, § 4018(a), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4648.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b)(5), (6). Pub. L. 115–334 added pars. (5) and (6).

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–246, § 4201(b), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “To receive commodities under this chapter, a State shall submit a plan of operation and administration every 4 years to the Secretary for approval. The plan may be amended at any time, with the approval of the Secretary.”

1996—Pub. L. 104–193 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions relating to availability of flour, cornmeal, and cheese acquired by the Commodity Credit Corporation.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.

Amendment by section 4201(b) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective Oct. 1, 2008, see section 4407 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 1161 of Title 2, The Congress.