ACTION ALERT
July 9, 2010
Urge Your Representative to Move Forward Now on
Farm to School Funding in the Child Nutrition Bill!
If your Congressman sits on the House Education and Labor Committee – See Chart Below – please make a call in support of a healthy school lunch. Time is running short for Congressional re-authorization of the federal school lunch and breakfast programs. The House must take action soon to ensure this critical first line of defense against childhood hunger doesn’t expire on September 30th.
The Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504) includes $50 million in mandatory funding over five years for Farm to School program connecting local farmers to school lunch programs nationwide, as well as many other important improvements to child nutrition programs.
The House Education and Labor Committee will likely consider the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act next week. Please call your representative and urge him or her to move this bill forward now, with the $50 million in mandatory funding for the Farm to School program included.
An investment in Farm to School programs will help schools to serve fresh and healthy food produced by local and regional farmers. That’s an investment that will pay dividends in improved child health, scholastic achievement and farm and rural economic vitality.
CALL TODAY!
Please tell your Representative on the Education and Labor Committee that it is important to you that the Committee act NOW to pass this crucial piece of legislation.
It’s easy to call. Please call or fax your representative at the numbers provided in the chart below. Ask to speak to the staff person listed. If the staff person is unavailable leave him or her a voice mail message that includes your name and phone number, or simply leave a message with the receptionist.
The message is simple. “I am a constituent of Representative _____________, and I am calling to ask him/her to move forward now on the Child Nutrition bill — H.R. 5504, the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act. Tell him/her that you particularly support the provision in the Act providing $50 million in mandatory funding for Farm to School programs as a wise investment in our children and our local and regional farm economy.”
Background
If funded, the Farm to School Program would offer competitive grants to schools or non-profit organizations to develop purchasing relationships with local farmers, plan seasonal menus, start school gardens, develop hands-on nutrition education, and provide solutions to infrastructure problems including storage, transportation, food preparation, and technical training.
Farm to School grant program was authorized in the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, but USDA has never requested any funding for the program. Congress now has an opportunity to fund this important program when it reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act in 2010.
- Farm to School initiatives around the country have demonstrated that Farm to School is a win-win-win for children, schools, local communities and farmers — providing abundant reasons why this initiative should be available to schools throughout the country.
- The choice of healthier produce options in the school cafeteria through Farm to School results in children consuming more fruits and vegetables, leading to lifelong improvements in their diets.
- Schools report a 3 to 16 percent increase in school meal participation when farm-fresh food is served, bringing more school lunch funds to the schools.
- Working creatively with local producers, some schools have found ways to save money while supporting local agriculture by purchasing locally.
- The transaction from Farm to School keeps dollars in the local economy, strengthening local economies and creating jobs.
- Schools provide an important new market opportunity for small and mid-sized family farmers and ranchers.
111th CONGRESS: HOUSE EDUCATION AND LABOR COMMITTEE
Democrats
| Representative | Staff | Phone | Fax |
| George Miller (7th CA) | Denise Forte, Gabrielle Serra | 202-225-2095 | 202-225-5609 |
| Dale E. Kildee (5th MI) | Erin Ward | 202-225-3611 | 202-225-6393 |
| Donald M. Payne (10th NJ) | LaVerne Alexander | 202-225-3436 | 202-225-4160 |
| Robert E. Andrews (1st NJ) | Elisa Krobot | 202-225-6501 | 202-225-6583 |
| Robert C. Scott (3rd VA) | Carolyn Hughes | 202-225-8351 | 202-225-8354 |
| Lynn Woolsey (6th CA) | Jason Feld | 202-225-5161 | 202-225-5163 |
| Ruben Hinojosa (15th TX) | Rosa Garcia | 202-225-2531 | 202-225-5688 |
| Carolyn McCarthy (4th NY) | Kim Zarish-Becknell | 202-225-5516 | 202-225-5758 |
| John F. Tierney (6th MA) | Rachel Evans | 202-225-8020 | 202-225-5915 |
| Dennis J. Kucinich (10th OH) | Yonatan Zamir | 202-225-5871 | 202-225-5745 |
| David Wu (1st OR) | Scott Olson | 202-225-0855 | 202-225-9497 |
| Rush Holt (12th NJ) | Chris Gaston | 202-225-5801 | 202-225-6025 |
| Susan Davis (53rd CA) | Suzanne Swink | 202-225-2040 | 202-225-2948 |
| Raúl M. Grijalva (7th AZ) | Joseph Mais | 202-225-2435 | 202-225-1541 |
| Tim Bishop (1st NY) | Joanna Serra | 202-225-3826 | 202-225-3143 |
| Joe Sestak (7th PA) | Jason Marmon | 202-225-2011 | 202-226-0280 |
| Dave Loebsack (2nd IA) | Kara Marchione | 202-225-6576 | 202-226-0757 |
| Mazie Keiko Hirono (2nd HI) | Anne Stewart | 202-225-4906 | 202-225-4987 |
| Jason Altmire (4th PA) | Cara Toman | 202-225-2565 | 202-226-2274 |
| Phil Hare (17th IL) | Kemi Jemilohun | 202-225-5905 | 202-225-5396 |
| Yvette D. Clarke (11th NY) | Bridgette Dehart | 202-225-6231 | 202-226-0112 |
| Joe Courtney (2nd CT) | John Hollay | 202-225-2076 | 202-225-4977 |
| Carol Shea-Porter (1st NH) | Chris Hillesheim | 202-225-5456 | 202-225-5822 |
| Marcia L. Fudge (11th OH) | Clifton Williams | 202-225-7032 | 202-225-1339 |
| Jared Polis (2nd CO) | Spiros Protopsaltis | 202-225-2161 | 202-226-7840 |
| Paul D. Tonko (21st NY) | Becky Cornell | 202-225-5076 | 202-225-5077 |
| Pedro Pierluisi (Puerto Rico) | Anina Caso | 202-225-2615 |
202-225-2154
|
| Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (Northern Mariana Islands) | Ed Manglona | 202-225-2646 |
202-226-4249
|
| Dina Titus (3rd NV) | Sarah Cohen | 202-225-3252 | 202-225-2185 |
| Judy Chu (32nd CA) | Carlos Uriarte | 202-225-5464 | 202-225-5467 |
Republicans
| Representative | Staff | Phone | Fax |
| John Kline (2nd MN) | Molly Conway | 202-225-2271 | 202-225-2595 |
| Thomas E. Petri (6th WI) | Kevin James | 202-225-2476 | 202-225-2356 |
| Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, (25th CA) | Chris Perry | 202-225-1956 | 202-226-0683 |
| Peter Hoekstra (2nd MI) | Greg Van Woerkom | 202-225-4401 | 202-226-0779 |
| Michael N. Castle (At large DE) | Jessica Gross | 202-225-4165 | 202-225-2291 |
| Mark E. Souder (3rd IN) | Kristin Garesche | 202-225-4436 | 202-225-3479 |
| Vernon J. Ehlers (3rd MI) | Rachel Fenton | 202-225-3831 | 202-225-5144 |
| Judy Biggert (13th IL) | Griffin Foster | 202-225-3515 | 202-225-9420 |
| Todd Platts (19th PA) | Rebeccah “Becky” Wolfkiel | 202-225-5836 | 202-226-1000 |
| Joe Wilson (2nd SC) | Melissa Chandler | 202-225-2452 | 202-225-2455 |
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers (5th WA) | Kim Betz | 202-225-2006 | 202-225-3392 |
| Tom Price (6th GA) | Kris Skrzycki | 202-225-4501 | 202-225-4656 |
| Rob Bishop (1st UT) | Wayne Bradshaw | 202-225-0453 | 202-225-5857 |
| Brett Guthrie (2nd KY) | Megan Spindel | 202-225-3501 | 202-226-2019 |
| Bill Cassidy (6th LA) | Holly Booth | 202-225-3901 | 202-225-7313 |
| Tom McClintock (4th CA) | Kristen Glen | 202-225-2511 | 202-225-5444 |
| Duncan D. Hunter (52nd CA) | Joe Kasper | 202-225-5672 | 202-225-0235 |
| Phil Roe (1st TN) | Matt Meyer | 202-225-6356 | 202-225-5714 |
| Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (5th PA) | John Busovsky | 202-225-5121 | 202-225-5796 |