For Immediate Release

Contact: Ferd Hoefner or Helen Dombalis, 202-547-5754

NSAC Pleased with House Agriculture Committee Adoption of Pingree-Ellmers-Gibson Farm to School Amendment

Washington, DC – Today the House Agriculture Committee adopted an important amendment to its draft farm bill that will authorize certain farm to school programs.

“We applaud the Committee for adopting this common-sense farm to school provision, and are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Representatives Pingree (D-ME), Ellmers (R-NC), and Gibson (R-NY),” said Helen Dombalis, NSAC Policy Associate.  “The Members themselves said it best: farm to school is a win for our farmers, our kids, and our communities.”

This no-cost amendment would give more control to States and local communities by authorizing schools with low annual commodity entitlement values (small rural schools) to start making their own food purchases, provided USDA determines this would yield reduced administrative costs.  The amendment would also create demonstration projects in at least 10 schools to test alternatives to USDA food distribution through farm to school procurement models.

Additional information about NSAC farm bill priorities can be found here:  https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/house-farmbill-markup-looms/

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

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