Legislation Supporting Local Produce Signed by Governor

Berry Friesen, PA Hunger Action Center

Before the current session of the General Assembly concluded, it sent on to Governor Rendell two pieces of legislation in support of Pennsylvania-grown produce. The Governor has signed both.

The first, Senate Bill 1209, authored by Mike Waugh from York County and Shirley Kitchen from Philadelphia County, establishes the Healthy Farms and Healthy Schools Program in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). Under the Program, PDA will award grants of up to $15,000 per school to educate kindergarten children and their families “about the importance of choosing healthy, locally produced food.” Funding may be used for student nutrition education, teacher preparation, field trips to area farms, educational activities for parents, and arrangements with local growers to provide food for consumption in school. Public, charter and private schools may apply for the grants, which will be awarded on a competitive basis. First priority will be given schools with a high percentage of the students from low-income families.

The Healthy Farms and Healthy Schools Program is built around an idea first piloted by The Food Trust in kindergarten classes in Philadelphia.

The Program was not funded by the legislation and will not operate until money has been appropriated. Hunger Action is supporting an initial appropriation of $500,000 and is requesting Governor Rendell to include a request in that amount in his February budget proposal.

Because the grants will consist of state funds and will target low-income schools, the Healthy Farms and Healthy Schools Program could be a nice companion to Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks. Such an arrangement would enable the school to draw federal matching funds for portions of the Program.

The second piece of legislation is House Bill 2472, which was authored by Art Hershey from Chester County and Peter Daley from Washington County and establishes the Farmers’ Market Development Program in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Under the Program, PDA may award grants of up to $10,000 to local farmers, nonprofit groups, local governments, and businesses that propose plans to start or strengthen farmers’ markets in low or moderate-income areas where consumers lack adequate access to fresh produce. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Again, the legislation signed by the Governor included no funding. Thus, implementation of the Program awaits passage of the 2007-08 budget by the General Assembly. The Farmers’ Market Alliance, a coalition that advocated for the Program, is requesting $1 million in funding for 2007-08.