United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 8531 (116th)
Food Deserts Act of 2020
Introduced
6 October 2020
Last action
—
Status
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
Sponsors
—
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
21 March 2025
Summary
Food Deserts Act of 20 20 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, a high rate of 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), or supporting or purchasing an existing 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 nonfederal 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 in the grocery industry.
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Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 6 October 2020
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 6 October 2020
Introduced in House
summary · EN · 6 October 2020
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Sources
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- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8531
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/116/hr/8531