Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act

This bill would create new tax credits and grants to bring more healthy food options to neighborhoods with few grocery choices, often called food deserts. Certified providers could get a 15% tax credit for building a new grocery store in a food desert, or 10% for renovating a store’s grocery area. Nonprofits could get grants equal to 15% of construction costs for a permanent food bank, and 10% of yearly operating costs for mobile markets, farmers markets, or temporary food banks; these grants are paid within 60 days and aren’t counted as taxable income. The program aims to increase access to healthy food by supporting stores, food banks, and mobile sellers where they’re needed most.

To qualify, projects must be in food deserts and meet standards used by the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Farmers markets must operate at least 10 daylight hours each week, and other temporary vendors at least 5 days and 50 hours each week. Farmers markets can’t use this program if they’re already getting most other USDA grants, with a specific exception for one nutrition incentive program. Allocations are made each year; temporary vendors can receive grants for up to 10 years. If a project stops meeting the rules within five years (or during the grant period for mobile/temporary vendors), some benefits may have to be paid back. The agencies will set rules to prevent abuse and make sure rural areas get a fair share of funding.

• Who is affected: Grocery stores, food banks, mobile markets, and farmers markets serving food deserts; residents in those communities.
• What changes: 15% tax credit for new grocery stores; 10% credit for renovations; 15% grants for food bank construction; 10% grants for operating costs of temporary/mobile providers; grants are not taxable income .
• When: Annual allocations; grants for temporary vendors can last up to 10 years; grants paid within 60 days after key milestones; possible payback if rules aren’t met within five years .