Bill > A621

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Fruit and Vegetable Incentives Program in the Department of Human Services to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among food insecure individuals with limited incomes as identified by enrollment in the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Under the bill, food insecure means a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Specifically, the department will be required to establish, and collaborate with, an authorized network of program providers to distribute financial incentives to eligible SNAP enrollees to use SNAP funds to purchase approved fruits and vegetables and to distribute cash-value vouchers, via health care providers, health educators, community health workers, or other health professionals, to eligible SNAP enrollees that may be redeemed for approved fruits and vegetables. In administering the program, the department will be required to: 1) develop and implement the program in collaboration with other State agencies that have missions and programs that closely align with the program; 2) establish an authorized network of program partners, including, but not limited to, farmers markets, grocery stores, and other fresh food retailers authorized under SNAP, government agencies, health care systems, and nonprofit organizations. In establishing a network of program providers, the department will be authorized to give preference to food retailers located in a county with a high level of food insecurity, as well as to health care systems with experience in food security initiatives, that serve a high percentage of low-income patients, or that are located in a county with a high level of food insecurity; 3) provide resources, coordination, and technical assistance to program partners, including support in pursuing all sources of available funding to implement the program; 4) determine the approved fruits and vegetables that may be purchased or redeemed under the program; 5) promote the program, in collaboration with program partners and other entities involved in the administration of SNAP; 6) apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for any waivers or approvals as may be necessary to implement the program; and 7) pursue all sources of federal funding, matching funds, and foundation funding available to implement the program. Under the bill, the department will be required to establish a separate, nonlapsing, revolving fund to be known as the "New Jersey SNAP Nutrition Incentive Fund." The fund will consist of $3 million appropriated under the bill, as well as any other sources of funding secured by the department, interest or other income derived from the investment of monies in the fund, and any other monies as may be appropriated to the fund by the Legislature or otherwise provided to the fund. The fund will be held by the department, and monies from the fund are to be used to implement the program, subject to certain restrictions. Specifically, at least 51 percent of monies deposited in the fund are to be used to fund an annual grant established under the bill, and no more than 49 percent of monies deposited in the fund may be used to implement the program, provide training and technical assistance, engage in outreach and develop new program partners, and conduct data reporting and analysis. The bill provides that no more than five percent of monies deposited in the fund may be used for program evaluation, as required under the bill. With regard to the annual grant supported by the fund, the department will be required to annually solicit applications from and select a nonprofit organization to receive the grant. The selected nonprofit organization will be required to have a demonstrated track record of building a Statewide network, leveraging funds to obtain matching funds or other additional funds; implementing fund distribution and reporting processes; providing training and technical assistance to food retailers authorized to participate in SNAP; conducting community outreach and data collection; and providing full accounting and administration of funds distributed to SNAP food retailers. The annual grant is to be used by the selected nonprofit organization to implement the program and annually distribute to participating food retailers funds equal to the dollar value spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at the retailer under the program. The bill requires the department to annually evaluate the effectiveness of program, consistent with the United States Department of Agriculture's Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) guidelines and is to include, at a minimum, the collection of information related to fruit and vegetable consumption by eligible SNAP enrollees, levels of food security among SNAP enrollees, and the impact on public health outcomes for SNAP enrollees that may be attributable to participation in the program. No later than 12 months after the effective date of the bill, the department will be required to submit a progress report to the Governor and the Legislature describing the results of the program and recommending legislative or programmatic changes to improve the effectiveness of program delivery. No later than 36 months after the effective date of the bill, the department will be required to submit a complete program evaluation to the Governor and the Legislature describing the program's effectiveness and providing recommendations to improve the program. The bill will take effect 180 days after the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Human Services will be authorized to take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as is necessary to implement the bill. This bill is generally structured on the requirements of GusNIP, which supports and evaluates projects intended to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers participating in SNAP. The program awards grants to recipients to provide incentives to SNAP enrollees at the point of sale to purchase fruits and vegetables, as well as to provide fruit and vegetable prescriptions to SNAP enrollees while in a healthcare setting. The goals of this grant program are to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce individual and household food insecurity, and reduce healthcare usage. States such as Washington, California, and Connecticut have implemented successful incentive programs utilizing GusNIP funding.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Shavonda Sumter (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document