Collier’s Supermarket in Saint James is one of eight recipients of grant funding through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Good Food Access Program, Senator Julie Rosen (R-Vernon Center) has announced.

Collier’s Supermarket, which is a family-owned grocery store in Saint James, will use their grant funding to retrofit a produce case. The upgrade will allow Collier’s to offer a better selection of fruits and vegetables.

“Congratulations to Mark Collier and the entire Collier’s team on this award. I’m proud and thrilled any time an important locally-owned business like Collier’s receives grants like this,” said Sen. Rosen, who represents St. James. “The Department of Agriculture looked for projects that have close ties and a large impact on their communities; with Collier’s, they made a great choice.”

Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have limited access to healthy fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and lean meats – particularly in Greater Minnesota. This limited access can be caused by distance to the nearest grocery store or income. Minnesota launched the Good Food Access Program to help connect more people to healthy food options. This year, roughly $150,000 in grants were available to assist recipients in the purchase of equipment, building upgrades, and otherwise improve access to affordable, healthy food in communities across the state.