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Florida Politics: Produce incentives at rural retailers- Good for health and economy

By Peter Schorsch

‘When a rural grocer thrives, a small business stays open and a Florida farmer has a customer.’

Fifteen independent grocery stores in rural Florida communities are joining a statewide produce incentive network that has generated more than $49 million in local economic impact since 2013.

The Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) program, operated by the Feeding Florida network, offers a dollar-for-dollar match on fresh fruit and vegetable purchases at participating grocery stores, farmers markets and farm stands. The result is doubled purchasing power for families and a direct revenue stream for Florida farmers, all channeled through the kind of small, independent retailers that rural communities depend on most.

The current expansion reflects growing recognition that rural food access is as much an economic problem as a nutritional one. Limited transportation and shrinking retail options have left many Florida families with few places to buy fresh, locally grown food. For those communities, the local grocery store is not just a place to shop. It is an employer, a farmer’s customer, and often the last full-service food option for miles.

Fresh Access Bucks is a program funded by the Legislature under Produce Incentives for Rural Retailers. It does three important things at the same time:

— It supports local farmers. The program connects Florida farmers directly to independent grocery stores, giving them a reliable, steady customer.
— It helps small grocery stores. Independent grocers in rural and underserved areas get a consistent source of fresh, locally grown produce to sell. This increased supply has also proven to increase demand, helping drive consistent business to these community grocers.
— It helps families afford fresh food. People in communities that don’t have easy access to healthy food can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at prices they can actually afford.

This program benefits farmers, store owners and shoppers all at once.

Since launching in 2013 with Florida Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block funding and later expanded through a USDA GusNIP grant, FAB has supported over $6.7 million in fresh produce purchases, fueled more than 7.6 million meals, and delivered an estimated 2.4 million recommended daily servings to Florida families. In 2025 alone, the program generated $2.6 million in revenue for more than 440 Florida farmers across more than 90 statewide outlets.

The return on investment at the retail level is striking. At Hitchcock’s Markets, an initial investment of $473,600 across ten pilot stores returned over $15.2 million in total economic and social impact within eight months, with more than $1.5 million going directly to 73 Florida growers. Giselle Alvarez, former Vice President of Operations at Hitchcock’s, said the effects did not end when the incentives did.

“Customers were excited to eat healthier and afford higher quality foods,” Alvarez said. “The increase in produce sales did not fall down completely afterwards. Instead, we experienced an increase in year over year produce sales, showing that some of our customers’ eating habits were successfully changed.”

For Feeding Florida, Fresh Access Bucks is one tool in a broader strategy that includes charitable food distribution, Farmers Feeding Florida, healthcare partnerships, and retail investment, all built on the premise that no single lever closes the gap alone. The 15 new rural grocery partners entering the network represent the program’s most significant expansion into the communities where that gap is widest.

“Fresh Access Bucks is proof that the right investment in the right places creates a chain reaction,” said Feeding Florida CEO Robin Safley. “When a rural grocer thrives, a small business stays open and a Florida farmer has a customer. When a family can afford fresh produce, a community gets healthier. Our network exists to make that chain as strong as possible, and this program is one of the most effective tools we have to do it.”

With continued funding, the momentum built with farmers, families, and rural retailers across Florida is real, but it is not self-sustaining. Feeding Florida is actively working with funding partners and stakeholders to ensure it does not stop here.

 

Originally published in Florida Politics on May 14, 2026: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/796445-produce-incentives-at-rural-retailers-good-for-health-and-economy/

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