Bill Text: NJ AR205 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges institutions of higher education to coordinate and promote gleaning activities as community service opportunities for students, faculty, and other members of campus community.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-2)
Status: (Passed) 2018-12-17 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR205 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-AR205-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN ARMATO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ
District 19 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges institutions of higher education to coordinate and promote gleaning activities as community service opportunities for students, faculty, and other members of campus community.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging institutions of higher education to coordinate and promote gleaning activities as community service opportunities for students, faculty, and other members of the campus community.
Whereas, According to the United States Department of Agriculture, each year approximately 40 percent of the United States food supply goes uneaten due to losses at the farm, retail, and consumer levels; and
Whereas, The vast majority of wasted food ends up in landfills. At the same time, over 14 percent of United States households struggle to put enough food on the table, leaving 49 million Americans, including 16 million children, at risk of going hungry; and
Whereas, In New Jersey, food insecurity affects 1.15 million people, including 375,000 children, many of whom do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and must rely on charitable food assistance; and
Whereas, It is estimated that the food saved by reducing losses by just 15 percent could feed more than 25 million Americans each year; and
Whereas, Measures should be implemented to increase the efficiency of our food system. "Gleaning" is the process of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, state and county fairs, or other sources in order to provide it to those in need; and
Whereas, Gleaning prevents the unnecessary wasting of quality food, and gives low-income populations access to fresh, nutritious foods that are not always available in their communities; and
Whereas, Institutions of higher education are well-positioned to play a critical role in helping to alleviate hunger and reduce food waste by coordinating and promoting gleaning activities as community service opportunities; and
Whereas, By coordinating and promoting these activities, institutions of higher education will be applying their knowledge and resources to help address food waste and hunger issues in the communities in which they are located; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges
institutions of higher education to coordinate and promote gleaning activities
as community service opportunities for students, faculty, and other members of
the campus community to reduce the amount of food that goes uneaten or wasted,
and help ensure that those in need have access to fresh, healthy food.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Secretary of Higher Education, and to the President and the governing board members of each institution of higher education in the State.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution urges each institution of higher education in the State to coordinate and promote gleaning activities as community service opportunities for students, faculty, and other members of the campus community. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, each year approximately 40 percent of the United States food supply goes uneaten due to losses at the farm, retail, and consumer levels. "Gleaning" is the process of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, state and county fairs, or other sources in order to provide it to those in need. Gleaning prevents the unnecessary wasting of quality food, and gives low-income populations access to fresh, nutritious foods that are not always available in their communities.
