SB2077 permits the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce to increase the purchasing power of Mississippi residents with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables and support local farmers by providing matching dollar incentives for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits redeemed at farmers markets and retailers.
The Mississippi State Senate passed SB2077 on February 9, 2022 by a vote of 47 to 5. We have assigned the pluses to the nays because government subsidies are a way government interferes in the free market economy. Subsidies make individuals more reliable on government assistance and when the government has their hand in things they shouldn’t, the people lose more control and freedom.