Bill Text: GA HR589 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Farm to School Day at the state capitol; March 30, 2011; recognize
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-14 - House Read and Adopted [HR589 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-HR589-Introduced.html
11 LC 94
4540
House
Resolution 589
By:
Representatives Pruett of the
144th,
Benfield of the
85th,
Ashe of the
56th,
Coleman of the
97th,
England of the
108th,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
March 30, 2011, as Farm to School Day at the state capitol and commending farm
to school programs; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Georgia ranks second in the nation in childhood obesity incidence, with
obesity-related healthcare costs to the state estimated at nearly $2.5 billion
annually according to the Georgia Department of Community Health;
and
WHEREAS,
Georgia is the sixth largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the nation yet
according to the Centers for Disease Control less than 14 percent of Georgians
consume the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables;
and
WHEREAS,
Georgia's agricultural economy produces some of the finest goods in the world
yet few make it onto Georgia tables, with nearly $16 billion of the $20 billion
spent annually on food going to out-of-state producers; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Department of Education serves 1.5 million meals a day and would
represent a significant and consistent market opportunity for Georgia producers;
and
WHEREAS,
a recent University of Georgia study estimated a small increase in local
purchasing would keep hundreds of millions of dollars in Georgia's local
economies, stimulating job growth and protecting our farm economy and agrarian
heritage; and
WHEREAS,
farm to school programs represent an innovative opportunity to address some of
the most critical issues facing Georgia through a comprehensive approach that
seeks to improve child nutrition – thus improving academic performance and
providing local market opportunities for Georgia farmers; and
WHEREAS,
evidence-based results of farm to school programs include improved changes in
personal diets and an increase in revenue staying in the local community –
fueling direct and indirect job protection and creation; and
WHEREAS,
healthier kids means smarter kids, as research indicates healthy students
perform better on testing and are absent less often; and
WHEREAS,
several Georgia school systems are successfully implementing farm to school
programs, including Atlanta Public Schools, City Schools of Decatur, Cherokee
County, Cobb County, Douglas County, and Gwinnett County; and
WHEREAS,
community partners and local assets are playing a critical role in program
success in these communities; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia General Assembly recognizes the importance of these programs and
encourages more schools to adopt farm to school programs and the departments of
education and agriculture to initiate a joint taskforce to strategize program
models that can be used to spread farm to school programs
statewide.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body commend farm to school as a viable solution to address Georgia's
obesity crisis and provide economic opportunity for Georgia farmers and
recognize March 30, 2011, as Farm to School Day at the state
capitol.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Department of
Education.
