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RMD: EDD: MR: AJ: F:\RESOURCE\SHARE\STAFFREPORTS\.DOC
HOUSE RESOLUTION 2626
Council Meeting: September 9, 2003 Santa Monica, California
To: Mayor and City Council
From: City Staff
Subject: Support for Federal Passage of the Upton-Kind Farm to Cafeteria Funding Bill
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the City Council authorize support for federal passage and funding
of HR 2626 Farm to Cafeteria Projects Act and S. 995 (Section 102) Child Nutrition Initiatives
Act.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Monica provides financial support to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School
District through its Farmers’ Market Program for development and operation of a School Salad
Bar Program that offers all students in the District daily access to locally-grown fresh fruits and
vegetables in the school cafeterias. The district contributes matching funds to this program in
collaboration with participating farmers and the Farmers’ Market staff. The School Salad Bar
Program was initiated in 1999, and has now grown to include all schools within the district.
Counteracting obesity and preventable nutritional disease in school children would be enhanced
by expansion of nutrition education curricula by the Farmers’ Market Program and the school
district, currently hampered by a lack of available funding. Further development of school
nutrition education serves to benefit both the children who improve their diet in healthy fresh
produce as an alternative to processed foods and the local participating small farmers who grow
and market fresh produce.
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Congress has commenced consideration of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act that would
address issues related to childhood obesity and preventable nutritional disease. S. 995
(Section 102) introduced by Senator Leahy (D-VT) and H.R. 2626 introduced by
Representatives Upton (R-MI) and Kind (D-WI) are virtually identical legislation to create
programs to bring locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables into school cafeterias and provide
nutrition education curricula through partnerships between the participating farmers, schools
and local agencies.
DISCUSSION
HR 2626 and S. 995 (Section 102), if enacted, would authorize $10 million annually for funds of
up to $100,000 to assist school districts and local agencies with establishment of farm to
cafeteria programs and on-going nutrition education. The grants could be used to purchase
equipment to store and prepare fresh foods in the school cafeterias, develop food procurement
relationships with local participating farmers, plan seasonal menus and promotional materials,
and develop experiential nutrition education connecting the school children to the local farms.
Advocacy for HR 2626 and S. 996 (Section 102) will help raise awareness in Congress of the
vital role of healthy diet alternatives and nutrition education for school children and the
importance of supporting local farmers in providing both educational access to the farms and
fresh fruits and vegetables to school cafeterias. Should funds be appropriated through the
pending legislation, the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica – Malibu Unified School District
will compete for targeted grants to expand the benefits of the current School Salad Bar program
and thereby assist nutritionally at-risk children, support local farms, and provide additional
outlets and community support for family-based agriculture.
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BUDGET/FINANCIAL IMPACT
There are no budget or financial impacts as a result of the proposed action.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize support for passage of HR 2626 and S. 995
(Section 102).
Prepared by: Jeff Mathieu, Director of Resource Management
Mark Richter, Economic Development Manager
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