Green Carts: Get the Facts

What is the proposal?

The City proposes to expand the number food carts that sell only fresh fruits and vegetables –
‘Green Carts’ – exclusively in the New York City neighborhoods that need them most.

Why do we need this proposal?

Many New Yorkers suffer from health conditions related to poor nutrition, such as diabetes,
heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure. Eating more fruits and vegetables prevents
these illnesses, but very few New Yorkers eat the minimum recommended amount. Fruit and
vegetable consumption is particularly low in certain neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods have
the highest rates of diabetes and obesity in the City and have limited availability of fresh fruits
and vegetables in local stores.

Is there any evidence showing that eating more fruits and vegetables has an
impact on health?
Eating more fruits and vegetables improves health. A national study demonstrated that eating
fruits and vegetables three or more times per day as compared to less than one time per day
was associated with a 42% lower risk of dying of stroke and a 24% lower risk of dying of heart
disease. In another study, eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
significantly lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We estimate that, over the long
term, successful implementation of this initiative would save approximately 100 lives per year.

Will more Green Carts really lead to more fruit and vegetable consumption?
Studies show that access and proximity are strong factors affecting fruit and vegetable
consumption habits and that people who live closer to markets that sell affordable fruits and
vegetables eat more of them. Our best estimate is that at least 100,000 New Yorkers would eat
more fresh fruits and vegetables with this proposal.

What would Green Carts be able to sell?

Green Carts would be able to sell unprocessed, unfrozen, raw fruits and vegetables (e.g., whole
carrots, bananas, apples, berries) or fruits and vegetables that have been pre-cut, pre-sliced,
pre-diced or pre-peeled and are commercially wrapped in pre-sealed packages (e.g., peeled
and packaged baby carrots). For food safety reasons, there would be no processing of fruits or
vegetables on carts.

How many fruit and vegetable carts are currently on New York City streets?
Our best estimate is that less than 10% of the 4,100 existing permitted mobile food carts sell
fruits and vegetables. More than half of permitted mobile food carts sell processed foods (i.e.,
cooked or processed on the cart), such as kabobs, gyros, or tacos, while the remaining
permitted carts sell non-processed foods (i.e., not cooked or processed on the cart) such as hot
dogs, coffee, pretzels, or fruits and vegetables. There are additional carts permitted to operate
in restricted areas – in City parks and at special events. Specific restrictions apply to all carts
and vendors.

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How would the permitting process work for Green Carts?
Permits would be issued by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs for a fee of $75,
and would be good for a period of two years. There would be a total of 1,500 permits phased in
over two years and allocated for use within designated areas in each borough as follows: 500
permits in the Bronx, 500 permits in Brooklyn, 250 permits in Queens, 200 permits in
Manhattan, and 50 permits in Staten Island. Priority would be given to people currently on the
permit waiting list, as well as disabled veterans, disabled persons, and veterans. Once all
permits are granted, DOHMH would implement a waitlist procedure similar to the procedure in
place for the current mobile food vending permitting process.

Where are the designated Green Cart areas and how were they chosen?
Areas were designated based on
residents’ low fruit and vegetable
consumption habits relative to residents in
other areas of New York City. The 1,500
permits would be allocated by borough
based on that consumption information.

Consumption of fruits and vegetables is

measured by the percent of adult
participants in the Health Department’s
2004 Community Health Survey who
reported that they ate no fruits or
vegetables on the previous day. Survey
results were reported by the 42 United
Hospital Fund (UHF)-identified
neighborhoods. To tie to more
commonly recognized areas, Green
Cart areas share boundaries with New
York City Police Department precincts.

Green Cart areas were chosen to include only neighborhoods with fruit and vegetable
consumption rates in the lowest two thirds of the city. In cases where UHF and precinct
boundaries are not well aligned, a precinct was designated as Green Cart area if more than half
it was included in one of those neighborhoods. In the proposed Green Cart areas, on average,
nearly 20% of residents surveyed consumed no servings or fruits and vegetables on the
previous day. In some neighborhoods with lowest fruit and vegetable consumption, that figure
was nearly 26%.

Why wouldn’t Green Carts be able to operate anywhere in the City?

The goal of this proposal is to address the very low consumption of fruits and vegetables in
certain areas around New York City. Limiting Green Carts to these designated areas will
improve access to fruits and vegetables in areas that need access most, while giving operators
enough flexibility to seek out and establish new markets within these boundaries.

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How would the new permits be enforced?
Green Carts would be held to the same regulatory standards as existing mobile food carts.
Areas where vending is currently restricted would continue to be off-limits and all cart location
requirements would remain in effect. Violations would be issued to any fruit and vegetable cart
found operating outside of authorized areas. The Health Department, Police Department and
the Department of Consumer Affairs would retain enforcement authority and respond promptly
to complaints.

Why not work with grocery stores and bodegas to improve their fruit and
vegetable offerings instead?
The City is working actively on a variety of initiatives to increase the availability of fresh fruits
and vegetables. In 2007, the Health Department’s Healthy Bodegas Initiative partnered with the
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Bodega Association of the
United States to pilot the “Move to Fruits & Vegetables” campaign. This campaign provided free
local produce to bodegas in designated areas around the city, combined with marketing and
promotional tools to raise awareness of the campaign and promote healthy eating. Based on
the results of this pilot, and as part of the Mayor’s citywide effort to expand access to healthy
foods in low-income neighborhoods, the Healthy Bodegas Initiative is currently working on
additional mechanisms to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables in bodegas.

Are the fruits and vegetables sold on carts as safe and high quality as those sold
in supermarkets and other venues?
Much of the produce sold on carts in New York City is purchased from the same wholesale
distributors that supply many of the city’s top restaurants. Additionally, mobile food carts are
held to the same sanitary standards as other food service establishments regulated by the
Health Department. Vendors must be licensed after completion of a food safety course, carts
must be permitted and inspected, and the New York City Health Code outlines clear food safety
standards to which vendors must adhere.

How do you know that the additional Green Carts won't put the local fixed-site
stores out of business?
The goal of this proposal is to create additional opportunities for New Yorkers to purchase fresh
produce in areas of the city where fruit and vegetable consumption levels are the lowest. Many
of the fixed-site retailers in these neighborhoods have product selections that differ significantly
from those offered at Green Carts. As a result, we anticipate this proposal would complement
the existing retail food landscape. Owners of fixed-site businesses also may apply for their own
Green Cart permits that would allow them to expand their ability to sell fresh produce.

Won't Green Carts block the sidewalks?

Green Carts must adhere to the same specific restrictions as other mobile food carts regarding
cart placement in order to minimize their impact on sidewalk congestion. Carts must be placed
in such a way as to maintain a clear pedestrian path at all times. When a sidewalk becomes
unusually congested, enforcement agents may order a temporary relocation until the congestion
clears.

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