FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State Legislature Passes Local Farms Healthy Kids Bill

New law would make Washington a leader on national trend toward better food choices

On March 11, the state legislature passed the Local Farms – Healthy Kids bill (SSB 6483). Votes were very much bi-partisan and essentially unanimous in both the House and Senate. A key benefit of this legislation will make it easier for schools to buy locally grown food – providing markets for local farmers and nutritious, fresh local food for our children.

Mar 11, 2008

Olympia, WA – Today the state legislature passed the Local Farms – Healthy Kids bill (SSB 6483). Votes were very much bi-partisan and essentially unanimous in both the House and Senate. A key benefit of this legislation will make it easier for schools to buy locally grown food – providing markets for local farmers and nutritious, fresh local food for our children. As a package, this bill will become the most comprehensive local foods program in the nation.

“The power of this idea has been amazing,” said Representative Pettigrew, one of the most important legislative leaders on this bill. “This package creates opportunities for farmers, school kids, and in particular people with lower incomes by getting more locally grown food into school snacks and lunches.”

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.”

What the Bill Does

Making it possible: 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.
Forging connections: Establishes a state “Farm To School” program that will connect schools with community farmers, and will provide necessary information and technical assistance to both school districts and farms.
Getting good food into the classroom: enacts a Washington Grown Fruits and Vegetables Program that will fund a fresh food snack program in schools with high numbers of low-income students.
Helping those who need it most: This effort will make it easier for low income families to purchase locally grown food by enabling farmers markets to accept food stamps, increasing funding of the Farmers Market Nutrition Programs and creating pilot projects for food banks to purchase fresh food directly from Washington farms.

The Local Farms-Healthy Kids initiative is supported by a broad and diverse coalition:

Farming Community
Children’s/Health/Poverty Community
Faith, Business, Teachers, Parents,School Nutritionists

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, School Nutritionists

School District