SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey’s Economic Development Authority is working to solve the problem of food deserts in the state. The agency is hosting online feedback sessions to gather ideas for how to do it.
A comprehensive study identified 50 communities in New Jersey as food deserts, including areas of Camden, Atlantic City, Burlington, Bridgeton, Millville and Paulsboro.
A food desert is an area where a significant population has little to no access to affordable, high-quality, healthy food options. This is often assumed to be an urban area lacking a grocery store. While that is sometimes the case, it's more complex than that. Some food deserts are in rural areas. The challenges for people living in Salem, Paulsboro and Egg Harbor, for example, may be different from those in Atlantic City and Camden.
Tara Colton with the EDA says every county in the state has at least one town on the list. Now they are developing a plan as part of the Food Desert Relief Act, which awards tax credits to incentivize the establishment of businesses that help solve that issue of access in food desert communities.
“This is really uncharted terrain. We’re the first state in the country to be doing a food desert tax credit of this type,” she said.
Colton says they want feedback from anyone with a good idea. The public is invited to attend Friday's listening session and to provide written feedback.
Can’t make the online session? Here are slides from the presentation
“The next step in that process is to put out our proposed plan and regulations for how that program would work. But we really want to make sure we get it right.”
Colton says solutions often start and stop with building a new supermarket, but smaller towns may not have enough residents support one.
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"People in communities and people in the food industry know this better than anyone. I have become a broken record here at the EDA by saying we have to solve the right problem," she said.
Colton says the hope is that, by being more creative, more communities will be able to improve the way food gets to them.
The EDA hosted an online feedback session on Thursday morning and will host another one on Friday at 3 p.m. More details are available on the EDA website with a section for feedback. All ideas must be submitted by Monday, Jan. 9.