HF4820 Summary

• Establishes Fresh Bucks pilot program to provide dollar-for-dollar matching funds for SNAP participants purchasing fresh produce at participating retailers, with a maximum daily match of $20 per household and $80 monthly limit per household.

• Nonprofit organization selected by Department of Health will administer the program, develop guidelines, select participating retailers, and establish monitoring systems, with retailer applications beginning by September 1, 2024.

• Retailers must accept SNAP benefits, demonstrate implementation capacity, begin offering the program within 90 days of approval, comply with data collection requirements, and cooperate with audits and fraud investigations.

• Appropriates $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 for the Fresh Bucks program with no more than 4 percent allowed for nonprofit administration, and transfers $500,000 from Minnesota Humanities Center to Department of Health for the Healthy Eating, Here at Home Program.

• Department must submit legislative report to health committees detailing participating retailers and their geographic distribution, demographics of served areas and individuals, program costs, and program effectiveness.