U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, said proposed legislation should attract more grocery stores to Georgia communities and support Peach State farmers.
Ossoff introduced the Fresh Food Act of 2024 on Thursday. It aims to address food insecurity across Georgia by helping attract more grocery stores to Georgia communities with limited access to fresh foods, and to help support Georgia farmers.
The measure would give grocery stores tax credits if they open locations in “underserved areas.” According to Ossoff, such a move would make fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy more available and accessible.
The measure would also offer additional tax incentives to stores that source food from local growers and farmers, boosting local agriculture sales, according to an Ossoff release.
The senator’s office cited a 2019 report from USDA’s Economic Research Service, that found more than 39 million Americans live in areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. In Georgia, more than half of the state’s census tracts are considered “low-income” or “low-access,” which means at least 33% or more of the population live more than 1 mile from a food store in urban areas or more than 10 miles in rural areas, according to Ossoff.