WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) in introducing the Supporting All Healthy Options When Purchasing Produce (SHOPP) Act, which would expand access to frozen fruits and vegetables through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“SNAP participants deserve access to healthy alternatives,” said Sen. Tuberville.“RFK Jr. has exposed the scary truth behind much of America’s processed food. Expanding access to frozen fruits and vegetables is a step in the right direction of Making America Healthy Again. It is important we continue to increase options and encourage Americans to make healthy choices.”
“Access to whole, nutrient dense foods are essential to making America healthy again,” said Sen. Cornyn. “The SHOPP Act will help meet this need for Texas families and communities across the country by ensuring SNAP participants are able to put well-balanced meals full of fruits and vegetables on their dinner tables.”
“I am proud to reintroduce the bipartisan SHOPP Act to expand access to fruits and vegetables for families across the country,” said Sen. Luján. “This legislation helps strengthen food security and supports healthier communities in New Mexico and nationwide, especially in rural and Tribal communities where access to fresh produce can be limited. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to move it forward.”
U.S. Congressmen Mark Alford (R-MO-04) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) led the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
BACKGROUND:
The Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) are designed to help low-income families and individuals access the healthy food options they need. However, the GusNIP program currently only include funding for fresh produce, not frozen. The SHOPP Act would give local GusNIP providers the ability to provide frozen fruits and vegetables, which work better for SNAP participants who may live in rural or urban food deserts. Increased access to frozen produce makes eating a variety of fruits and vegetables possible for these families and individuals, and it is also easier to transport to areas that are on the last mile of a delivery route. This comes as March is National Nutrition Month and National Frozen Food Month, which raise awareness of the importance of developing healthy eating habits.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
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