COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — U.S. Senator for Georgia Jon Ossoff (D) made a stop in Columbus to champion legislature which he says will benefit local families and farmers.
If passed, the Fresh Food Act targets making fresh healthy, food – especially sourced from local farmers – accessible to Georgians.
“Good nutrition is integral to our health. Fresh, healthy food ought not to be in Georgia a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Ossoff said.
According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine , U.S. households near the poverty line are more likely to see health impacts partly caused by less access to fruits and vegetables.
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Access to fresh and healthy food can be impacted by proximity to grocery stores and income levels. Ossoff believes the Fresh Food Act could help both these problems by incentivizing carrying fresh, healthy food in stores.
The legislature would create a tax credit for grocery store fresh food sales, with an additional 5% credit for local sourcing.