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The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress, and was published on 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.
