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Bill

Bill

A 2762

"Food Desert Elimination Act"; provides incentives to supermarkets and grocery stores that locate in "food deserts."

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Craig Coughlin and 7 co-sponsors

New Jersey proposes financial or regulatory incentives to grocery retailers opening stores in underserved food desert communities to improve residents' fresh food access.

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee
#agriculture #food
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Bill Summary · A 2762

Legislative bill overview

Bill A 2762 seeks to address food deserts—areas with limited access to fresh, affordable groceries—by offering financial or regulatory incentives to supermarkets and grocery stores willing to open locations in underserved communities. The bill was introduced in the New Jersey Assembly in January 2024 and is currently under committee review. Specific incentive mechanisms are not detailed in the available information.

Why is this important

Food deserts disproportionately affect low-income and minority neighborhoods, contributing to diet-related health disparities, obesity, and chronic diseases. By incentivizing grocery retailers to enter these markets, the bill aims to improve residents' access to nutritious food and address underlying economic inequality. Success could serve as a model for other states facing similar public health challenges.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and fiscal impact: Incentives require public funding; critics may question whether subsidizing private retailers is the most cost-effective use of state resources or if direct nutrition assistance programs are preferable
  • Incentive design and effectiveness: Without knowing specifics (tax credits, grants, zoning relief), it's unclear whether proposed incentives will be sufficient to overcome retailers' profitability concerns in low-density or low-income areas
  • Long-term sustainability: Concerns that incentivized stores may close once subsidies end, or that incentives don't address underlying challenges like lower profit margins and higher operating costs in these communities

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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