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Lawmakers hear broad support for rural grocery grants; program pitched as lifeline for small towns
Summary
Senate Bill 22‑28, which would reauthorize a rural grocery store sustainability and food access grant program, drew unanimous support from agricultural, economic development, and community representatives who said the pilot program helped keep grocery stores open and encouraged regional co‑op approaches to distribution.
The Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee heard extensive testimony in favor of Senate Bill 22‑28, a proposal to fund a rural grocery store sustainability and food access expansion grant program under the Department of Commerce.
Why it matters: Witnesses said rural grocery stores provide food access to elderly and transportation‑limited residents, anchor local economies, and support community continuity. Peril Grossman, legislative director for the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, told the committee “rural grocery stores are the backbone of small communities” and said closures force residents to travel long distances for basic groceries.
Program background and benefits: Supporters described the bill as a follow‑up to a pilot program passed last session. Testimony from the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives’ rural development staff (Ellen Huber) summarized technical assistance and low‑interest loan activity the association has provided, and pointed to successes where grants and local coordination helped reopen or sustain stores in several towns. The association described a revolving loan fund and private grant sources that have already been used to support rural stores.
Local examples and data: Multiple community leaders said the grant program enabled feasibility studies, cooperative purchasing models, and equipment upgrades (freezers, coolers, produce racks) essential to keeping stores open. The Hazleton Development Corporation said its community used grant funds for a feasibility study and is exploring a regional buying and distribution cooperative model; Hazleton emphasized the store’s role for a population with more than 25% aged 65 or older. The Red River Regional Council described using Placer.ai foot‑traffic data to make market assessments in tiny communities such as Crystal (population ~112) and credited the previous grant with helping the Crystal Booster Club buy the town’s convenience store.
Processing facility connection: StrengthenND and Megan Langley described one phase‑2 grant recipient — a regional food processing and aggregation facility near Baldwin — which will assist small producers and reduce freight costs, and said that project leveraged the state grant with federal Economic Development Administration funds.
Funding and outcomes: Witnesses reported the pilot program’s funds were quickly used by communities and that additional appropriation would expand capacity. Speakers estimated some project costs and local fundraising results; the Fargo area example from the veterans testimony estimated long‑term projects at several million dollars. The committee received no formal opposition testimony during the hearing.
Status: Testimony concluded and the committee closed the hearing on SB 22‑28; no committee vote on the bill was recorded in the transcript. Supporters asked the committee to reauthorize the grant appropriation and expand the program.
