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Healthy Food Financing Proposed

In an effort to bring better foods to communities that are known as “food deserts” because of their lack of healthy options, the Obama administration has proposed targeting $400 million in tax credits, low-rate loans, loan guarantees, and grants. If Congress approves the Healthy Food Financing Initiative as part of the federal budget, the funds will support projects ranging from grocery store construction to smaller interventions such as placing refrigerators stocked with fresh produce in convenience stores. Nationwide, the Department of Agriculture estimates that 23.5 million people, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income food deserts that are more than a mile from a supermarket. These areas typically are served by fast-food restaurants and small stores that offer little or no fresh produce.