Federal Policy Shifts Widen Rural America's Fresh Food Gap

A 90-year-old law, the Motor Carrier Act, once ensured rural communities had access to fresh produce. However, deregulation and supply chain privatization have skewed food distribution, leaving rural America behind. National distributors now underserve seven states, including West Virginia, Arizona, and Texas, when it comes to refrigerated meat, dairy, and prepared foods. In Wisconsin, national distributors delivered less than 9.2 pounds of leafy greens per person annually, compared to 19-37 pounds in urban counties. Independent retailers operate over half of rural grocery stores, but co-ops alone won't fix the underlying problem. The Federal Trade Commission has revived enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act, suing to block a merger between Kroger and Albertsons, and alleging antitrust violations by distributors and retailers.