MACON, Ga. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff said he's introduced a bill aimed to bring more grocery stores to food deserts. He calls it the Fresh Food Act of 2024.
This means good news could be on the way for grocery store chains or local grocery stores opening in some parts of Georgia.
"This legislation will provide them with a tax cut for opening and operating the grocery store that sells fresh food in an underserved area," Ossoff said.
Ossoff hopes it will make more fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy available to more families. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture the underserved areas are based on how far most people live from a grocery store.
Amy Stevens who lives in Vienna said she usually drives 30 minutes to a grocery store for fresh food.
"It is shocking that we're surrounded by food growers, but we have to travel to get that food," she said.
In the last decade, people living in Central Georgia have watched their local grocery stores close which creates food deserts. Since 2014, Piggly wiggly stores in Cochran, Forsyth, Roberta, Fort Valley, Unadilla, Milledgeville and Warner Robins have closed. Kroger closed its Macon Pio Nono Avenue store in 2018.
"A lot of times we go for the cheaper, quicker option,” Stevens said. “And that's not always the fresh option where we live, but it's always the best option. I think as a mom I want my kids to learn to eat healthy and this would definitely help that."
Macon Bibb Mayor Lester Miller said Democrats and Republicans should agree on curing food deserts.
"This is a no brainer,” he said. “This is one of those common grounds that everyone should be able to come to do for the good of our community because we don't make a choice of whether or not we need to eat right. We have to eat to survive. So, I think it's a very valuable effort and we appreciate all the support we get from our senators."
Ossoff said stores using locally grown and raised products could get additional tax credits. He said the bill would cover 120 of Georgia’s 159 counties.