FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Legislature Passes Local Farms Healthy Kids Bill
MOUNT VERNON, WA)— The state legislature passed the Local Farms – Healthy Kids bill (SSB 6483) and appropriated $1.49 million to implement its programs. The bill is one of the most comprehensive local foods program in the nation.
“Local Farms - Healthy Kids is a smart investment for our state. It helps our Washington farmers by opening up new, stable markets and enables our low income families to access more fresh fruits and vegetables thru schools, farmer markets and foodbanks,” said Ellen Gray, Executive Director of the Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network. “This turns some great ideas into programs that help rebuild our local food system.”
"As superintendent of the La Conner school district, I have seen the benefits of using local, fresh fruits and vegetables in our school meals. Passing this law is an important investment in our children by encouraging more schools to purchase locally grown, nutritious food." states Dr. Tim Bruce, Superintendent, La Conner School District.
An incredibly broad and diverse coalition of supporters helped pass the legislation (see a full list of official supporters at end of release). Early momentum was created for the proposal when it was selected as one of the environmental community’s Priorities for a Healthy Washington for 2008.
“Farmers, schools, students, food banks, farmers markets, faith groups, and poverty, public health and children’s advocates all worked together to get this bill passed,” said Mo McBroom, Policy Director for Washington Environmental Council. “This is a great investment and a big first step toward re-connecting people to where our food comes from.”
The bill expands children’s access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by:
- easing purchasing restrictions that currently make it difficult for schools and institutions to buy from local farms
- establishing a “Farm To School” program within the Washington State Department of Agriculture that will provide assistance in connecting schools with their local farmers
- enacting a Washington Grown Fruits and Vegetables Program to fund fresh food snack programs in schools with high numbers of low-income students and,
- creating a farm to foodbank pilot program to support foodbanks purchasing fresh produce directly from local farmers. The law also provides additional funds for the Farmer Market Nutrition Programs which enables low income families to purchase produce at local farmer markets.
An incredibly broad and diverse coalition helped promote the legislation. Below is a full list of Local Farms-Healthy Kids supporters:
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Farming Community Alm Hill Gardens Baird Orchards Bellewood Acres Bellingham Farmers Market Blue Heron Farm Cascadian Home Farm Cattle Producers of Washington Devine Gardens Double Rainbow Farm Eaton Season Ranch Full Circle Farm Growing Washington Heifer International Let Us Farm Nash’s Organic Produce Ninety Farms, Arlington, WA Nooksack Nine Fruits and Veggies PCC Farmland Trust Red Shed Produce Salt Creek Farm Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland Small Potatoes Gleaning Project South Whidbey Tilth Sowing Seeds Farm Stanwood Camano Farm Tour The Cascade Harvest Coalition The Lands Council Tilth Producers of WA Tonnemaker Family Orchards 21 Acres Twin Springs Farm Victory’s Organic Gardens Washington State Farm Bureau Washington State Farmers Market Association Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network Willie Greens Farm Yerbas de Yakima Organic Hay Farm |
Children’s / Health/ Poverty Community Acting Food Policy Council Food Lifeline Greater Seattle Dietetic Association Sound Dietetic Association of Dietitians Northwest Harvest Nutrition Trails Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic Solid Ground The Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition The Children’s Alliance Thurston County Food Bank Washington Association of Local WIC Agencies Washington Food Coalition Bridgeport School District Business Alliance for Local Living Economies Good Food Strategies Health Freedom Washington Lifelong Aids Alliance Lincoln School PTA Lutheran Public Policy Office PCC Natural Markets Slow Food Seattle Slow Food Skagit Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op Sound Body Nutrition Spokane Falls Community College Sustainable Connections Washington State Catholic Conference Washington State PTA Washington State Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice Wellpinit School District |
Faith, Business, Teachers, Parents, Bridgeport School District Business Alliance for Local Living Economies Earth Ministry Good Food Strategies Health Freedom Washington Lifelong Aids Alliance Lincoln School PTA Lutheran Public Policy Office PCC Natural Markets Slow Food Seattle Slow Food Skagit Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op Sound Body Nutrition Spokane Falls Community College Sustainable Connections Washington School Nutrition Association Washington State Catholic Conference Washington State PTA Washington State Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice Wellpinit School District |
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