H.R. 3104 · 115th Congress
Food Deserts Act of 2017
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 115th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
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CarsonSponsor1 cosponsor · 1 D
0 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill establishes a Department of Agriculture program to provide grants to states for revolving funds to support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jun 29, 2017
Food Deserts Act of 2017
This bill establishes a Department of Agriculture program to provide grants to states for revolving funds to support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities.
An underserved community is a community that has: (1) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, in grocery retail stores or farmer-to-consumer direct markets; and (2) a high rate of hunger or food insecurity or a high poverty rate.
States must use the funds to make loans to support grocery stores in underserved communities, including for: opening a store (excluding new construction), supporting or purchasing an existing store, or supporting a store located in a community that would be underserved without the store.
States may only make loans for grocery stores that meet requirements related to:
- emphasizing unprocessed, healthful foods;
- providing staple foods and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables;
- having a plan to keep the foods in stock;
- charging prices at or below market averages;
- meeting specified matching requirements using non-federal funds; and
- being qualified to operate a store or having partnerships with organizations that provide technical assistance.
States must prioritize loan applications from entities that meet criteria related to:
- hiring workers from the underserved community,
- providing classes or educational information about a healthful diet,
- sourcing food from local urban farms and gardens,
- not selling alcohol or tobacco products, or
- demonstrating existing supply chain relationships or expertise in the grocery industry.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Food Deserts Act of 2017
Latest action (Jul 24, 2017): Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
Policy area: Agriculture and Food · Origin: House · Introduced: Jun 29, 2017
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.