Bill Text: GA SR508 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Farm to School Programs; commend
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-30 - Senate Read and Adopted [SR508 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-SR508-Enrolled.html
11 LC 94
4832
Senate
Resolution 508
By:
Senators Carter of the 42nd, Bulloch of the 11th, Golden of the 8th, Bethel of
the 54th, Henson of the 41st and others
A
RESOLUTION
Commending
farm to school programs; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Georgia ranks 2nd 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 6th largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the nation yet
according to the Centers for Disease Control less than 14% 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 more successful kids, as research indicates healthy students perform better on testing and are absent less often; and
WHEREAS, healthier kids means more successful 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 SENATE 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.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Georgia Department of
Education.
