Bill Text: VA HJR95 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Virginia Farm-to-School Week; designating as second full week of November 2010.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-03-23 - House: Introduced bill reprinted 10103228D [HJR95 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-HJR95-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, the 2007 Virginia General Assembly directed the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and the Secretary of Education to develop a plan to implement a Farm-to-School program across the Commonwealth (SJR 347), resulting in significant progress; and WHEREAS, a strong Virginia Farm-to-School Program connects schools directly with community farmers and local food hubs; paves the way for schools to more easily purchase fresh, nutrient-rich farm products; positively impacts the lifelong healthy eating behaviors of Virginia's children; and provides reliable, ongoing markets to support Virginia's local agricultural economy; and WHEREAS, since the Virginia Farm-to-School Program began in 2007, there has been a 300 percent increase in locally grown foods served in public and private schools; and during the first Farm-to-School Week, all regions of Virginia participated and 36 different locally grown Virginia foods were featured as healthy choices on school menus across the state; and WHEREAS, Virginia public schools serve 681,505 lunches daily to nourish their students, resulting in more than 122 million lunches served during a 180-day school year. If $0.25 a day per student lunch is devoted to purchasing locally grown Virginia farm products, a total of $170,376 would be generated daily and more than $30,667,700 would be reinvested annually in Virginia communities and the economy; and WHEREAS, there is a growing need to prioritize access to healthy foods for young people due to the critical health concerns of childhood obesity and the increasing incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in children, which are both food-related and prevalent across the Commonwealth; and WHEREAS, according to the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, 31 percent of Virginia's children are overweight and 15.2 percent are obese; and WHEREAS, all of the Virginia school districts, farms, and businesses that participated in the first Virginia Farm-to-School Week are recognized for their dedication and hard work; and WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Food System Council, and Virginia Farm-to-School Work Group are recognized for their many contributions to help develop, promote, and implement Virginia's Farm-to-School Program plan and the first Virginia Farm-to-School Week, as well as their ongoing efforts to strengthen the connections between Virginia's local farms and school districts; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate the second full week of November, in 2010 and in each succeeding year, as Virginia Farm-to-School Week in the Commonwealth; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this week on the General Assembly's website. |
