Bill > HB1814

This bill establishes the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a state program designed to increase the availability of fresh and nutritious food in underserved and low-income or moderate-income communities. The Department of Community and Economic Development, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, will administer the program, which may involve partnering with certified community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to provide financing in the form of loans, grants, or loan waivers for eligible projects such as grocery stores, farmers markets, and other healthy food retail establishments. The bill also creates a restricted account in the General Fund to be used exclusively for the program, with an annual transfer of $5 million from the General Fund.