Welch Cites Farm-To-School Programs As Valuable Support For Family Farms

Press Release

Welch Cites Farm-To-School Programs As Valuable Support For Family Farms

Rep. Peter Welch today outlined the importance of farm-to-school programs to Vermont farmers and his hopes for a 2007 Farm Bill that supports family farms and local food.

Welch announced today his support for the Local Food and Farm Support Act, H.R. 2364, which he hopes will be incorporated into this year's Farm Bill.

"I want to take our common-sense, Vermont approach for supporting local agriculture to Washington and into the 2007 Farm Bill. The average school meal in this country shouldn't travel over 1,500 miles before reaching lunch trays when we have family farmers deserving our support next door," said Welch.

"Farm-to-school programs effectively support our family farmers, reduce energy use, help maintain open land, and provide healthy food and educational opportunities for our students," he added.

Welch spent the Independence Day Recess in Vermont, talking with farmers and agri-businesses about the challenges facing the Vermont farm community and their hopes for the 2007 Farm Bill.

Speaking in the Harris-Millis dining hall on the University of Vermont campus, Welch commended UVM's farm-to-school program, which partners with Sodexho, its food services company, and local farmers.

Joining Welch at the event were Annie Stevens, Associate Vice President of UVM, Bill Suhr from Champlain Orchards, and Paul Bahan from Sodexho, Abby Nelson from the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA), and members of Vermont Food Education Every Day (VT FEED).

Welch supported a farm-to-school initiative in the Vermont State Legislature, which, in 2006, authorized and funded a program that funded research and provides support to farm-school collaboratives around the state. The program was made permanent this year and currently over 40 Vermont schools participate in some form of farm-to-school partnership.

The Local Food and Farm Support Act, which was introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), supports family farmers with new revenue by developing local and regional distribution networks for their products and encouraging school and institutional links to local farms.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source