U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing legislation to attract more grocery stores to Georgia communities and support Georgia farmers.

Today, Sen. Ossoff introduced the Fresh Food Act of 2024 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.

Sen. Ossoff’s bill would offer a tax credit to grocery stores that open locations in underserved areas to make fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy more available and accessible. The bill would also offer additional tax incentives to stores that source food from local growers and farmers, boosting local agriculture sales.

According to a 2019 report from USDA’s Economic Research Service, over 39 million Americans live in areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. In Georgia, over 50% 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.

“No Georgia family should lack access to fresh, healthy food, but too many communities lack grocery stores. That’s why I’m introducing the Fresh Food Act, which will support local grocers and farmers,” Sen. Ossoff said.

Sen. Ossoff’s Fresh Food Act of 2024 is endorsed by Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, the National Grocers Association, Invest Atlanta, United Ways of Georgia State Association, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, Flint River Fresh, Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, Share Our Strength, The Food Trust, and the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

“The City of Valdosta long suffers from a close to 30% persistent poverty rate and is surrounded by a vibrant agricultural community that almost reads exactly like the model the Senator has laid out in his bill. The City of Valdosta and its citizens and surrounding farms and farmers would all benefit greatly from this innovative piece of legislation. It is our belief that this type of plan will make a generational difference in health care outcomes and give the youth the nutritional balance needed for successful learning and life,” said Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson. “The Fresh Food Act of 2024 is a game changer wholly endorsed by myself and our citizens!”

“We are grateful for this partnership and Senator Ossoff’s commitment to bringing grocery stores to areas with limited to no access to fresh food in Atlanta and throughout the state,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

“Many Americans live in communities with little or no access to fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and other nutritious staples. The Fresh Food Act will help bring independent grocers into these our nation’s underserved communities and provide them with greater fresh food options and employment opportunities,”said National Grocers Association Chief Government Relations Officer and Counsel Chris Jones.

“Southwest Georgia is the breadbasket of the state, but so many of our rural communities lack access to fresh, sustainable foods produced here in their own backyards,” said Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District and Flint River Fresh Chairman Marty McLendon. “The Fresh Food Actintroduced by Senator Ossoff brings productive policy to support the grassroots work within our local communities to address barriers farmers, local supply chains, and residents face.”

“Ninety-eight percent of disinvested neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta include census tracts defined as food deserts by the USDA,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “To address this, we must prioritize access to fresh, healthy foods with the realities grocers face when starting a business or expanding to new locations. This legislation moves us in this direction and stands to make a very meaningful impact on the city.”

“The opportunity to incentivize providing more fresh fruits and vegetables in rural areas is a win-win for consumers and farmers as well. As Georgia growers continue to face competition from rising imports, we applaud this effort to help bring healthy foods to those in underserved communities,” said Chris Butts, Executive Vice President of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

“Senator Jon Ossoff’s Fresh Food Act of 2024 would be a gamechanger for underserved communities across Georgia and the country. This legislation represents a bold plan to incentivize local farmers, growers, and grocers to work together to address food deserts, chronic disease, and overall population health through access to fresh foods in all communities,” said Ben Moser, President and CEO, United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley.

“We’re excited to support policy that benefits our rural communities; when federal, state, and local efforts and objectives align, it’s always a win,” said Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District Executive Director Perri Cooper. “Our work at the District is built upon the health and conservation of our natural resources, and we can’t overlook that our local communities are one of the greatest resources we have.” 

“Access to fresh, healthy food is a key ingredient in the fight against hunger in the United States. Right now, too many families across the nation lack access to fresh meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables in their communities. Share Our Strength applauds Senator Ossoff’s leadership in the fight against hunger and encourages Congress to take quick action on the Fresh Food Act,” said Jason Gromley, Senior Director, Advocacy and Government Relations, Share Our Strength.

“The United Ways of Georgia acknowledges that over 1.4 million Georgians struggle with food insecurity. As such, we strongly support all efforts to help Georgians conveniently access healthy produce and fresh foods,” said Brittany Burnett, Chair of the United Ways of Georgia State Association.

“Grocery stores are one of America’s true community anchors, providing critical access points for fresh, healthy foods. But in far too many neighborhoods across the U.S., residents struggle with poor nutrition and food insecurity — often attributable to a lack of convenient supermarket access, sufficient budget for healthy foods, and education on the impact of food choices on our health,” said Mark Edwards, President & CEO, The Food Trust. “By providing financial support for healthy food retail operations through bills like The Fresh Food Act, we can ensure that more families have consistent access to reasonably priced, nutrient-dense foods; and that farmers, businesses and communities can thrive.”

Sen. Ossoff continues working to address and improve access to healthy foods.

Last month, Sen. Ossoff and Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) introduced the Protecting Our Produce Act to boost resources and support for Georgia specialty crop growers facing unfairly priced imports.

Last year, Sen. Ossoff announced a new partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State of Georgia to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables for schools across the state, helping Georgia kids access fresh produce grown by Georgia farmers.

Sens. Ossoff and Joni Ernst (R-IA) also introduced the bipartisan Farm Fresh Food for Families Act to help families in Georgia and nationwide access freshly grown food at farmers markets.