I want to applaud Sen. Dan Sparks for co-sponsoring legislation to fund the Minnesota Good Food Access Program. The program, which he and others helped create last year, will provide loans, grants and technical assistance to address the challenge many Minnesotans have accessing healthy and affordable foods.

The program will support the establishment of grocery stores where there are none, provide tools to enable farmers markets to get off the ground and support other community-driven solutions. This is the type of program that speaks to the entrepreneurial spirit here in Freeborn County.

Not only will the program support the health of families in our region, it will result in significant economic benefits. Grocery stores and markets create jobs and are often the hub of small communities.

Albert Lea, as a Certified Blue Zones Community, knows that supporting efforts to improve the health of Minnesotans will also help to reduce the health care and health insurance costs for all Minnesotans. The Good Food Access program is a win-win for Minnesotans. I’m glad Sen. Sparks recognizes that fact.

Randy Kehr

Albert Lea