On February 5, 2013, State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D- Laredo) introduced S.B. 403 that would establish a revolving loan fund to support low-income areas in need of grocery stores or healthy corner stores. This bill was introduced in response to the state-wide concern over “food deserts”, places where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is not easily available. Many minority communities, including Hispanic communities, find themselves living in these “food deserts”, without access to proper nutrition for their family. Check out the status of this bill ...
Introduced in 2011 as part of the Farm Bill, this act makes changes across a wide spectrum of food and farm policies to: promote small, beginning and sustainable farmers; expand local and institutional markets for growers; increase access to local and healthier food options, particularly for low-income populations; remove or reduce barriers to the purchase of locally grown and produced food by federal nutrition programs; and more. Some aspects of the bill have been incorporated in the House and/or Senate versions of the pending farm bill. Learn more about the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs ...
The Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) has set exciting policy targets for 2012-2013. The purpose of the food policy council is to bring together leaders from across sectors, geographies, and socioeconomic communities to build new relationships and to strengthen, facilitate, and coordinate change. LAFPC is a collective impact initiative, working to make Southern California a Good Food region for everyone where food is healthy, affordable, fair and sustainable. LAFPC calls for a number of polices that would increase the number of healthy food retail outlets in underserved areas. They support policies that transform neighborhood markets and convenience stores in South and East Los Angeles into healthy food retailers. They also support policies that authorize street food vending in ...
In summer of 2012, Chicago City Council approved an ordinance that spurs small business development by encouraging new fresh, healthy food carts to operate in neighborhoods across the city, particularly underserved communities. Through funding made available by the USDA and a partnership with the Chicago Transit Authority(CTA), local non-profit Fresh Moves will double the mobile fresh food operations of its Mobile Market Bus, expanding its existing routes on the west side of Chicago to new routes in south side communities with the addition of another Mobile Market Bus. It is estimated that this will double the number of people who are able to access healthy, affordable and fresh fruits and vegetables through their Mobile Market Bus in areas that lack access to this basic nutrition. This ...
Texas State Senator Jane Nelson (R- Flower Mound) introduced a bill (S.B. 133) that would allow the State to turn state-owned property into community food gardens. "Texas should take advantage of its unused land to promote local, fresh produce and encourage healthy-eating habits," Nelson said in reference to the bill. The bill is currently still in committee. Check out the status ...
The city of Chicago has made strides in that last five years to bring more fresh food into the city's food deserts, which are predominately Hispanic and Black neighborhoods. Since 2010, when Mayor Rahm Emanuel adopted the issue during his campaign, big retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Walgreen Co. have made well-publicized commitments to build stores in underserved neighborhoods in Chicago and other urban centers. Now, upscale health food retailer Whole Foods wants a shot. Co-CEO John Mackey, speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago, says Whole Foods is creating a foundation, Whole Cities, to open subsidized stores in Chicago neighborhoods that lack access to fresh food as soon as this year. Other cities in Whole Foods' pilot tests are New Orleans and Newark, N.J. The new ...
Green Carts are mobile food carts that offer fresh produce in certain New York City areas. Local Law 9, signed by Mayor Bloomberg on March 13, 2008, establishes 1,000 permits for Green Carts. The purpose of Green Carts are to bring fresh, healthy produce to areas around the city that don't have access to healthy food, with customers being able to pay with SNAP benefits. Read more about NYC's Green Carts and efforts to bring them to areas in other big cities that have limited fresh food ...
The Farm Bill is was signed into law in early February 2014. The legislation cuts $4.5 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), while continuing funding for SNAP’s Nutrition Education Program, community food projects, farmer’s markets, fruit and vegetable research, and SNAP incentive initiatives. The bill also includes authorizing language that would allow USDA to fund up to $125 million for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which supports public-private partnerships that increase access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities. Check out the latest news on the Farm Bill ...
The Houston Department of Health and Human Services has kicked off an initiative to set up farmers markets in underserved, inner-city neighborhoods. The initiative aims to provide easier access to affordable fruits and vegetables in Houston communities that lack access to grocery stores and other fresh food outlets. HDHHS organizes monthly farmers markets in the neighborhoods of Sunnyside, Magnolia and Fifth Ward, three communities where fresh food is not readily available. Live around here? Find your farmers' ...
