Baskin, Stirpe Calling for FRESH Communities Act to be included in Final State Budget

Senate One-House proposal includes $10 million to expand grocery stores in underserved areas, increase fresh food access

Senator April N.M Baskin

Senator April N.M. Baskin and Assemblymember Al Stirpe were joined Tuesday by lawmakers, advocates, and stakeholders from across New York to call for the FRESH Communities Act (A8692/ S6017) to be included in the final FY2026-27 State Budget.

The legislation – formally known as the Food Retail Establishment Subsidization for Healthy Communities Act – has already been included in the Senate’s One-House Budget proposals, along with $10 million to implement the grants and loan assistance program. Supporters are now urging state leaders to carry the measure across the finish line as budget negotiations continue.

The FRESH Communities Act would provide loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, and grants to businesses, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and local development corporations to help retain, expand, or establish grocery stores in underserved areas. By supporting store expansion and new locations, the program aims to improve access to healthy food in both urban and rural areas while also driving job creation and supporting New York’s agricultural economy.

Senator Baskin said, “Get ting the FRESH Communities Act into the Senate One House Budget was a major step forward, but we cannot stop there. In the wake of the May 14, 2022 mass shooting at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, we saw the devastating impact of a community having limited grocery access. Every community deserves a grocery store, and we need more small businesses leading that charge – not multi billion-dollar chains. The FRESH Communities Act will help ensure no neighborhood is ever left without access to fresh food, while also creating jobs and strengthening local businesses. Now is time to get this across the finish line in the final State Budget.”

Assemblymember Stirpe said, “To fight the growing number of food deserts, we must support a comprehensive food system that reaches every corner of the State. In the short run, the FRESH Communities Act will benefit residents and farmers alike by connecting neighborhoods most in need of fresh groceries with local producers and New York grown products. In the long run, this legislation will improve public health outcomes, reduce energy expenditures, and create better-connected communities across the state. No one should have to travel long distances to obtain fresh food and support their family, which is why I urge my Assembly colleagues to sup port the FRESH Communities Act and ensure its passage in this year’s final state budget.” Across the country, the lack of supermarkets offering fresh food choices and the increasing number of food deserts have become growing concerns, especially in low-to moderate income communities. The FRESH Communities Act, unlike other food access programs which tend to focus on helping consumers purchase food, focuses on the supply side. It helps the stores themselves grow. It will create new grocery stores, expand fresh food offerings, and build long-term food infrastructure in the communities that are most in need.

Eligible stores would be required to participate in New York’s Grown & Certi fied program, accept SNAP benefits, and hire employees who live within a 20-mile radius, ensuring that invest ments directly benefit the local community and regional farmers. Advocates empha sized that expanding access to fresh food can improve public health outcomes, reduce the need for long-distance travel to grocery stores, and create new markets for New York farmers, growers, and food producers.