| One of the items I discussed with Sen. Darrel Aubertine during my interview with him on Friday was his joint effort with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to write a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack asking him to change a USDA ruling that would allow fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally to be allowed into local schools.
Right now, a USDA provision in the recent Farm Bill considered any precut fruits and vegetables to be "processed." Also, any fruits or vegetables that come bagged or washed are also considered processed, even though no alterations have been made to them.
In the letter, both senators stress the importance of agriculture and produce in New York. The produce grown on New York's farms could have a tremendous impact on the healthier lifestyles that we want our young people to have. Schools have started to introduce healthier beverages and meals and fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables could be a big part of that. However, with the current provision in place, those fruits and vegetables aren't being allowed in.
Here is more on the letter being sent to Secretary Vilsack:
In their letter, the Senators state that Farm to Fork programs create wealth and lead to increased employment through agriculture, "creating a ripple effect that strengthens our struggling rural communities. Additionally, locally grown and distributed food is likely to be fresher and more nutritious, a key to fighting childhood public health problems from obesity to diabetes."
"Senator Aubertine is going to bat for our farmers, our school children and our nation," said Ray Denniston, co-chairman of the NY state Farm to School Regional Coordinating Committee. "Encouraging our children to eat healthy, fresh foods benefits everyone. Our farms gain another market for their products, our children will be fitter and stronger, and our society benefits from reduced medical bills. Senators Aubertine and Gillibrand understand that the solution to our health care crisis will come from our farms and kitchens as well as our hospitals and research labs. The senators ? support for Farm to School programs is critically important, and greatly appreciated."
The Senators go on to ask the former Iowa governor to "remain mindful of the vitality and value of New York's farms, the health of our school children, and the positive benefits of promoting local agriculture." They added: One immediate and effective way to do this would be to reverse the USDA ? s reinterpretation of 'de minimis' handling of agriculture products to allow locally grown precut and bagged produce to be served to our school children."
I believe many New Yorkers, along with many Americans as well, hope that this provision is changed so that fresh fruits and vegetables grown on local farms end up in local schools. That would be ideal, not only for the schools, but for the local farms who would also benefit from it.
You can read the letter here. |
