Double Up on Grocery Bucks to Double Down on Local Farms

For too many Americans, sticker shock in the checkout aisle — especially on top of other rising costs — is making it harder to get healthy food on the table. The price of groceries has gone up 30 percent since 2020, outpacing inflation and wage growth. At the same time, the federal government has cut hundreds of billions of dollars in food, health, and other basic support for Americans. This policy ensures that more families can afford healthy food by expanding benefits and supporting local farmers through the purchase of local fruits and vegetables. Incentivizing families to eat healthy food saves states and families money and helps maintain funding for local farms and grocery stores.

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MODEL POLICY

Double Dollars for Healthy Food from Local Farms Act.

Section 1 (Title):

This act shall be known as the Double Dollars for Healthy Food from Local Farms Act.

Section 2 (Purpose):

This policy establishes a [STATE] Healthy Food Incentive Program by providing a dollar to dollar match for SNAP recipients who buy healthy food.

Section 3 (Provisions):

1. HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED

a. There is hereby established a [STATE] Healthy Food Incentive Program, hereinafter “program,” for beneficiaries of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (hereinafter SNAP),” to be developed and administered by the [DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OR APPLICABLE STATE AGENCY HEREINAFTER “department”].

b. Participants in the program who are beneficiaries of SNAP shall receive a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $20 per week, to be used exclusively for the purchase of local, fresh fruits and vegetables at a farmers’ market, farm stand, mobile market, community-supported agriculture site, grocery store, or other direct food retailer that participates in SNAP.

c. The department may consult and cooperate or partner with private, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations in developing and implementing rules to administer or fund the program. The department shall ensure the program:

i. Automates earned dollar amounts under the program on SNAP cards;

ii. Automates SNAP benefit cards so SNAP beneficiaries are able to  participate in local community supported agriculture subscriptions and earn program dollars;

iii. Ensures the program is available at all SNAP-enrolled farm to consumer entities and similarly situated entities by encouraging them to participate;

iv. Connects eligible entities with the necessary resources and technology to participate in the program;

v. Considers and adopts appropriate mechanisms to prevent fraud and abuse; and

vi. Regularly updates and maintains the program mobile application and website.

d. The department may establish a grant program for farmers, farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture partnerships, for use in attaining any technology needed to participate in SNAP.

2. APPLICATION TO FUNDING

a. The department is directed to apply for any necessary grant or waiver to participate in the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program or similar grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and to act for the state in any negotiations relative to the submission and approval of such plan, waiver, or grant, and shall make such arrangements and take such action, not inconsistent with law, as may be required to obtain and retain such approval, to implement such plan, waiver, or grant funding to secure for the state the benefits available.

b. The department shall actively search for, find, and apply for grants and other streams of funding to promulgate this section and fund this program.

3. [STATE] has a compelling interest in protecting privacy and personal information. In administering this Act, state and local agencies, businesses, and any other entities, shall only request data necessary to administer this Act and retain it only as required to administer and achieve the purposes of the Act. Any personal information or data collected or obtained in the course of administering this Act shall be shared only in a manner that has been deidentified and aggregated to the greatest extent allowable while still in compliance with federal eligibility requirements and every allowable effort shall be made to revoke access to such data should programs be eliminated or should there be an ineligibility determination. Personal information or data collected or obtained in the course of administering this Act shall not be otherwise disclosed without the informed consent of the individual, a warrant signed by a [state] judge or federal judge, lawful court order administered within [state] or a lawful federal court order, or subpoena administered within [state] or federal subpoena, or unless otherwise required by federal or state statute. Personal information or data may be considered deidentified if it cannot reasonably be used to infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, a particular individual or household.

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