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, “Getting 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 support 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 & Certified program, accept SNAP benefits, and hire employees who live within a 20-mile radius, ensuring that investments directly benefit the local community and regional farmers. 

Advocates emphasized 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.

Senator Rachel May said, “Geography remains a major barrier to healthy food for many New Yorkers. In my district, too many residents don’t live near a grocery store. The FRESH Communities Act would help change that by incentivizing grocery stores to open in underserved areas, expanding access to fresh, healthy food. Thank you to Senator Baskin and Assemblymember Stirpe for working to bring healthier options to communities across New York.”

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Food is a form of healthcare and a matter of survival, and every New Yorker deserves access to stores where they can find fresh, healthy options in their neighborhood. The FRESH Communities Act is a critical tool in our fight against food insecurity and will create pathways to encourage local entrepreneurship and job creation that result in new grocery stores opening in underserved regions. More local grocery stores also mean more opportunities to get the incredible array of food grown by New York farmers into more communities across the state. Thank you to Senator Baskin and Assemblymember Stirpe for leading this effort. We’ll be pushing for it in the final budget.”

Senator George Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said, “Every family deserves a grocery store. That sounds simple, but for too many New Yorkers, it's still out of reach. The FRESH Communities Act changes that, helping stores open their doors, stay open, and grow in the neighborhoods that need them most. And by tying this to the New York Grown & Certified program, we’re making sure that when residents shop local, they’re also eating local; supporting New York’s farmers while having confidence that the food on their table meets high standards for quality, taste and safety.” 

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, said, “Because of limited access to grocery stores, many communities like mine are experiencing increased food insecurity and poorer health outcomes. The FRESH Communities Act will encourage proactive investment in grocery stores, increasing access to fresh, local produce and additional market opportunities for NY farmers. This along with historic investments in HPNAP, Nourish NY and SNAP will go a long way toward addressing a growing crisis in our neighborhoods.” 

Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay said, “Access to fresh, affordable food is essential to the health and stability of our communities. On Long Island and across New York, too many families still face barriers to reliable grocery access. The FRESH Communities Act represents a smart, forward-looking investment in local food infrastructure that will support small businesses, strengthen regional agriculture, and improve public health outcomes. Including this proposal in the final State Budget will help ensure that all communities have access to the fresh food resources they need to thrive. I applaud Assemblyman Stirpe and Senator Baskin for their leadership on this effort and am proud to cosponsor this proposal.”

Buffalo Common Council President Pro Tempore and Masten District Council Woman Zeneta Everhart said, “I am in support of the FRESH Communities Act and its inclusion in the final State Budget. During my time as Director of Diversity and Inclusion under former Senator Congressman Timothy Kennedy, I personally worked on this piece of legislation to gain support for it. I’m honored that Senator Baskin has picked this up. This is the kind of investment our communities truly need. Expanding access to fresh, affordable food strengthens public health, supports local businesses, and creates meaningful job opportunities for our residents. The FRESH Communities Act takes a smart, long-term approach by investing directly in neighborhood grocery stores. This Act can address the often-occurring issue of certain communities having only one major food store in the area. More fresh and healthy food stores are a huge step towards equality for our residents. That is something I fully support.”

Niagara Falls City Council Chairman Brian Archie said, “The FRESH Communities Act provides an opportunity for small food retailers to create a healthy and nutritious food system that is responsive to disadvantaged community needs while obtaining economic stability. This legislation can be a gateway to creating conditions where all of us can thrive.”

Niagara Falls City Councilmember Bridgette Myles said, “As a Council woman, I hear directly from residents, see and understand the challenges they face, and access to fresh, healthy food should never be one of them. Families should not have to travel far or settle for less because of where they live. The FRESH Communities Act is a compassionate and practical investment in communities that have gone too long without the resources they deserve. It uplifts families, supports local business, and helps create healthier, stronger neighborhoods.”

Collin Bishop, Chief Communications Officer for FeedMore WNY, said, “When people have the nutrition they need, children have the energy to learn in school, parents are better positioned to succeed at work, and communities collectively thrive. FeedMore WNY and hunger-relief organizations across New York State work tirelessly to improve healthy food access in the communities we serve. Today, Senator Baskin is helping those efforts. The FRESH Communities Act will help provide our food-insecure neighbors with consistent access to nutritious food. It's a win for farmers, stores, and communities across New York State.”

Maura Ackerman, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance said, “Access to fresh, affordable food isn't a luxury – it's a foundation for community health. In Syracuse, Onondaga County, and Onondaga Nation, we see every day how low income, low access communities carry a disproportionate burden when grocery infrastructure fails them. The FRESH Communities Act gets at the supply side of that problem in a real way, and it connects food access to the broader regional food economy by keeping dollars closer to local growers and producers. SOFSA is proud to support this legislation and urges its inclusion in the final state budget.”

David Skeval, Executive Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension said, “Uniform distribution of fresh food across our communities is the great challenge for our food systems and agriculture. Expanding the ability of smaller stores to carry fresh foods would go a long way toward meeting this challenge.”

Jessica Gilbert-Overland, PhD, Director and Co-Founder of the Good Food Buffalo Coalition, said, “We see time and again how our current food environment is harming our urban and rural communities, yet most proposed solutions have failed because they are not community-led. The FRESH Communities Act brings a new and essential approach because it provides financial assistance to food retail establishments that are grounded in, and thus can respond to the unique needs of, the communities that they serve. Getting the FRESH Communities Act into the final State Budget is a critical step towards creating a resilient, just food system for all New Yorkers.”

Karen Belcher, President and CEO, Food Bank of Central New York said, “Food access is not a luxury, it is a basic necessity for healthy communities. When a community lacks access to fresh, affordable groceries, the consequences go far beyond inconvenience. It directly impacts nutrition, increases the risk of chronic diseases, and strains already tight grocery budgets. Ensuring that every family has reasonable access to healthy food should not be controversial, and we applaud the FRESH Communities Act for taking important steps to help improve food access for our neighbors.”

Allison Dehonney, Executive Director of  Buffalo Go Green and Urban Fruits & Veggies said, “My organization has been boots on the ground in agriculture and food systems work for 10 years. We primarily serve individuals struggling with lack of access to healthy food options. Passage of this bill will have profound, far reaching and long lasting impacts for farmers, food systems workers and in communities across NY State.”