NC NEWSLINE -Buncombe Rep. Eric Ager says his new bill, titled “The Affordable Food Act,” was inspired by a problem that is being felt in every county of the state: rising food and grocery prices.
“Wages have just not kept up with the cost of basic necessities,” said Ager. “The same basket of groceries – cost goes up, same paycheck stretches less.”
Beyond the affordability crisis, Ager says far too many families are unable to purchase fresh food.
House Bill 1057 would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) authorizing the state to operate a nutrition incentive program that would help families buy more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Ager says the bill would also address the state’s food deserts, where residents live miles away from a full-service grocery store.
“Where transportation is limited, convenience stores become the default food system,” said Ager. “Families should have access to real food, not just whatever you can find on a convenience store shelf.”
USDA data finds 11 food deserts in Buncombe County. Ager said that’s about 23,000 residents in his own district who are unable to routinely access fresh, healthy foods.
H1057 supports mobile markets, food banks, nonprofits, local governments, and food co-ops willing to serve underserved areas.
“The grant program in this bill would help us bring food to the communities that need it most,” explained Ager.
Rep. Ray Jeffers, a Person County farmer, said the legislation will also create a farmer stabilization program within the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to purchase food products grown or processed in North Carolina for distribution to public and nonprofit food assistance programs.
Jeffers says historically underserved producers and those operating small and mid-sized farms are more likely to stay in agriculture if they have reliable buyers.
The bill also earmarks $47 million in recurring funds for farmland preservation. North Carolina is losing 100,000 acres of farmland and forest land a year.
“Preserving working farms is not just about rural nostalgia. It is about our food supply, our rural economies, our family farmers, and our state’s long-term resilience,” said Jeffers.
Rep. Garland Pierce (D-Scotland) signed onto the bill this week because a significant portion of his district covers Fort Bragg.
The proposed Targeted Military and Veteran Food Assistance Program in H1057 would provide $140 million in recurring funds to address food insecurity among members of the military, veterans, and military families.
“No one who served this country should struggle to feed their family,” said Pierce.
In 2023, one in five military and veteran family families indicated some level of food insecurity, according to a study conducted for the Military Family Advisory Network.
Pierce said this was not charity, but an obligation the state owes to its military men and women.
“We ask their families to endure deployments, uncertainties, and sacrifice,” said Pierce. “The least we can do is to make sure these same families are not left behind wondering how they will be able to feed their families.”
One notable final section of the bill that would benefit consumers would prohibit retail grocery stores from using dynamic pricing. Dynamic pricing allows electronic price tags in stores to change based on demand, the time of day, and other market conditions.
Ager said while electronic shelf labels may be more efficient for retailers, the real-time pricing makes it harder for consumers to plan, compare, and budget.
“Families should not have to wonder whether the price of milk, eggs, bread or baby formula will change while they are walking through the store,” said Ager. “Grocery shopping is not a stock exchange.”
Earlier this month, Maryland became the first state in the nation to ban the practice of dynamic pricing, which includes consumers’ personal data to set prices for goods or services.
Ager acknowledged the comprehensive legislation comes with a fairly large fiscal note, but he’s hopeful to work across the aisle as the state budget is crafted.
“We do spend lots of money down here in Raleigh,” Ager pointed out. “And to us, we ought to focus on the people, the farmers and the veterans who are the ones really needing help in this day and age.”
