Increasing Access to Healthy Food
Besides increasing the price of unhealthy food to deter consumption, other strategies include offering financial incentives or creating other programs to foster a healthy food environment. As discussed in the context of sugary beverage taxes above, many of the proposed tax laws would additionally earmark the revenue for positive health-related programs, such as subsidizing fruits and vegetables. The government can subsidize healthy food without the imposition of a tax, however. For example, some states, such as Florida, appropriate money to support the operation of farmers’ markets.[1] Other locations offer financial incentives to specific populations to purchase produce. For example, Rhode Island and New York City both have programs to provide SNAP recipients with $2.00 extra money for every $5.00 they spend at a farmers’ market.[2] Another method utilized to address disparities in access to produce is by offering permits to vendors who sell produce in neighborhoods in need. For example, New York City’s Green Carts program provides licenses to vendors to operate a cart to sell fruit or vegetables in communities where there is low access to fresh produce.[3] The District of Columbia piloted a similar program in underserved communities and modeled it after the Green Carts program.[4]
Sometimes local governments and non-government organizations create voluntary programs to work with businesses to support a healthful food retail environment. Voluntary initiatives do not have the force of law so the government cannot penalize noncompliance, but it can provide rewards, technical assistance, or supplies to encourage participation. An example of a public-private voluntary partnership was the Health Vending pilot program in Minneapolis, Minnesota parks.[5] The Minneapolis Health Department partnered with both the city parks and the vending machine operators and gave participating parks and vendors small stipends. The department provided the vendor with resources and technical assistance to improve sales, including lists of healthy and popular products, and pricing and product placement strategies.
A national example of a public-private partnership is the National Salt Reduction Initiative, which is coordinated by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and under which over 90 state and local health departments and national health organizations partner with packaged and restaurant food companies to reduce the amount of salt in the food supply.[6] Participating companies are publically applauded for pursuing the sodium reduction targets.
An example of a public-private partnership run by a nonprofit organization is the Philadelphia Healthy Corner Store Network developed by the nonprofit Food Trust, and run in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.[7] The Food Trust conducted trainings for corner store owners to assist them in selling healthy products. It also provided financial assistance for infrastructural changes such as shelving and small refrigeration units. Over 600 Philadelphia stores joined the network to improve the healthfulness of the foods offered in the city.
State and local governments also can create and abide by their own food procurement policies and nutritional guidelines for foods provided in government buildings (e.g., worksite vending machines, hospital cafeterias) and through government programs (such as elderly feeding programs). For example, in 2009, the Massachusetts governor signed an executive order launching a statewide food procurement policy that applies to all executive branch state agencies, including all offices, boards, commissions, departments, divisions, councils, and bureaus.[8] The order requires all food purchased or served to comply with nutrition guidelines established by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Such a procurement policy also could be enacted through state or local legislation and an individual agency may be able to pass a regulation for its own food procurement policy if permitted by its authorizing legislation.
Finally, although not based on law or government edicts, some organizations engage in self-regulatory approaches to positively change the food environment on their own. For example, the nonprofit network of hospitals, Providence Health & Services, voluntarily decided to remove sugary beverages from their dining areas, vending machines, catering, and gift shops in all of their Oregon-based hospitals.[9]
- [1] FL Chapter No. 2012-118 (enacted 2012).
- [2] RI SNAP / EBT and Credit Cards at RI Farmers Markets. http://www.farmfresh.org/mar-kets/freshbucks.php; see also NYC Health Bucks and EBT. http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/ebt/healthbucks
- [3] NYC Green Cart. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/living/greencarts.shtml
- [4] D.C. Municipal Regulation 1909 (enacted 2012).
- [5] Minneapolis Health Department. Healthy Vending in Parks. http://www.minneapolismn.gov/health/living/parks
- [6] New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. National Salt ReductionInitiative. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/diseases/salt.shtml
- [7] Philadelphia’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative. 2010-2012. http://foodtrust-prod.punkave.net/uploads/media_items/hcsi-y2report-final.original.pdf
- [8] By His Excellency Deval L. Patrick. Governor Executive Order No. 509. EstablishingNutrition Standards for Food Purchased and Served by State Agencies. January 7, 2009. http://www.mass.gov/governor/legislationeexecorder/executiveorder/executive-order-no-509.html
- [9] Theron Park. Providence is Switching to Healthier Drinks in 2015. December 16, 2014.http://oregon.providence.org/news-and-events/news/2014/12/providence-is-switching-to-healthier-drinks-in-2015/
