Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Dr. Amy Nunn speaks PHOTO: GoLocal s Richard McCaffrey
A wide range of public health leaders, elected representatives, children’s health experts, grocery industry executives, and other advocates from the Nourish Rhode Island Coalition gathered at the Rhode Island State House on Tuesday to voice their support for proposed bills that would improve children’s health and alleviate hunger in Rhode Island through a “sugary drinks tax.”
The legislation is opposed by the national beverage industry.
Currently, pending before the Rhode Island House and Senate Finance Committees is H5715 and S0327 that include a proposed 1.5 cent per ounce tax on unhealthy sugary drinks.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Tourtellot, a family-owned business since 1884, has 509 retail partners, 263 suppliers, and 57 team members.
“As a produce distributor, we work with both large and small grocery retailers across the Northeast; in Rhode Island we work with family-owned grocers all the way to national chains,” said Cohen. “What’s really important to us about this bill is that it’s actually an investment in the grocery industry the funds from this would be used for a SNAP incentive program and the way that program works is that folks who are using SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, at their local grocery store would have additional funds to spend on healthy fruits and vegetables.”GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST