Legislation from state Representative Dave Pagel designed to increase access to fresh fruits and veggies is getting a thumbs up from American Heart Association members. The Michigan Healthy Food Access Campaign’s Ted O’Dell says the Healthy Food Assistance Act would create a pot of money for mom and pop shops to set themselves up for the sale of fresh produce.
“It’s not for the Krogers of the World or the Meijers,” O’Dell said. “It’s for the smaller corner store owners, or the mom and pops. They could use those monies in the form of a low-interest loan or a grant for construction of new grocery stores, construction of store renovations.”
O ‘Dell says the plan would also provide funding to encourage the establishment of farmers markets in locations where none currently exist. Pagel’s legislation was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Appropriations last December. However, since then, it hasn’t gotten much traction.
