Bill Text: NJ SJR74 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates Wednesday of third week of September as "Farmers Against Hunger Day."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Substituted by AJR94 (1R) [SJR74 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-SJR74-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Designates Wednesday of third week of September as "Farmers Against Hunger Day."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating Wednesday of the third week of September as "Farmers Against Hunger Day."
Whereas, It is estimated that 17.9 million households in the United States are food insecure, meaning they have difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all of their members due to a lack of resources; and
Whereas, Additionally, 6.8 million households in the United States have very low food security, meaning food intake of some household members is reduced and normal eating patterns are disrupted at times during the year due to limited resources; and
Whereas, In New Jersey, 1.15 million residents, including 375,000 children, are food insecure, and many of these individuals do not qualify for federal nutrition programs; and
Whereas, Food insecurity is harmful to all people, but is particularly devastating to children - as proper nutrition is vital to a child's physical and mental health, academic achievement, and future economic prosperity; and
Whereas, In order to ensure the health and welfare of all New Jersey residents, the State must support programs and initiatives that bring fresh, healthy food to those in need; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Agricultural Society's Farmers Against Hunger program was started in 1996 as a way to enable farmers throughout the State to contribute their extra produce to local food banks and pantries; and
Whereas, Often, fresh produce is not harvested on farms due to bad weather, market conditions, high buyer quality standards, and labor shortages, or is lost between harvest and sale; and
Whereas, Instead of letting this produce go to waste, farmers who participate in the Farmers Against Hunger program work with local food pantries, soup kitchens, and food banks, to provide produce free of charge to food insecure residents; and
Whereas, Throughout the harvest season, Farmers Against Hunger provides weekly and on-call pickups at farms, and organizes groups of volunteers for gleaning, which is the process of collecting excess fresh foods from farm fields and other locations; and
Whereas, Farmers Against Hunger also works with grocers, wholesale suppliers, and restaurants to collect tons of produce and bread that may otherwise go to waste; and
Whereas, Farmers Against Hunger donations help serve over 7,000 people weekly throughout the harvest season, and 3,000 people weekly in the non-harvest season; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Wednesday of the third week of September is designated as "Farmers Against Hunger Day" in order to recognize and promote the efforts of farmers, community organizations, businesses, and volunteers who donate and deliver fresh, healthy food to those in need.
2. The Governor may annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and citizens of the State to observe "Farmers Against Hunger Day" with appropriate activities and programs, and to coordinate their activities and programs with those annually planned for "New Jersey Gleaning Week," established pursuant to J.R. of 2015 (pending before the legislature as Assembly Joint Resolution No. 93 of 2014-15).
3. The Department of Agriculture shall take appropriate measures each year to publicize "Farmers Against Hunger Day."
4. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution, as amended, designates Wednesday of the third week of September as "Farmers Against Hunger Day," and would require the Department of Agriculture to take appropriate measures to publicize "Farmers Against Hunger Day." As amended, it would also request the Governor to issue an annual proclamation calling upon public officials and citizen to celebrate "Farmers Against Hunger Day," and to coordinate their activities with those planned for "New Jersey Gleaning Week," which would be established by a companion joint resolution, Assembly Joint Resolution No. 93 of 2014-15.
It is estimated that 17.9 million households in the United States are food insecure, meaning they have difficulty providing enough food for all of their members due to a lack of resources. Another 6.8 million households have very low food security, meaning the food intake of some members is reduced and normal eating patterns are disrupted due to limited resources. In New Jersey, in particular, 1.15 million residents, including 375,000 children, are food insecure.
The New Jersey Agricultural Society's Farmers Against Hunger program was started in 1996 as a way for farmers in the State to contribute extra produce to local food banks and pantries. Throughout the harvest season, the organization provides weekly and on-call pickups at farms, and organizes gleanings, where volunteers collect excess fresh foods from farm fields. Farmers Against Hunger also works with grocers, wholesale suppliers, and restaurants to collect tons of produce and bread that would otherwise go to waste. Each year, the organization helps serve over 7,000 people weekly during the harvest season, and 3,000 people weekly during the non-harvest season.
