r-10676City Council Meeting: May 8, 2012 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER 10676 (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA SUPPORTING THE SEATTLE FARM
BILL PRINCIPLES AND SUSTAINABLE FARMS AND FOOD SYSTEMS
WHEREAS, jurisdictions throughout California increasingly recognize
the benefits of local and regional food production, including stewardship of
working agricultural lands, the creation of direct and indirect jobs in
agricultural production, food processing, eco- tourism and support industries,
improved nutrition due to reduced food transport and storage times, energy
conservation and greenhouse gas reductions due to reduced miles to market,
and increased food security and nutrition through access to locally grown
foods; and
WHEREAS, many municipalities are facing multiple health, social and
environmental problems associated with food including dramatic increases in
obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases; and
WHEREAS, there is a growing recognition of a direct correlation
between sustainable food and public health, suggesting that ready access to
sustainably- produced food from local and regional farms will help reduce diet -
related diseases; and
WHEREAS, our national food system is dominated by a handful of large buyers,
including four companies that purchase and process 85 percent of all cattle raised in the
United States, and two companies that purchase and process 80 percent of the produce
grown in California and Arizona; and
WHEREAS, the current food system has led to an unsustainable reliance on
chemical additives and cheap oil for production and distribution, the deterioration of
farmlands and water sources and an externalization of numerous environmental
problems; and
,WHEREAS, a 2006 report issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (UNFAO) documented that livestock production is a major source of land
degradation and water consumption, and contributes 18% of global greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, prompting Rajendra Pachauri, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-
winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to recommend that
individuals reduce their personal carbon impact by decreasing their meat consumption
and noted that, "In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about
[GHG] reductions in a short period of time, reduced meat consumption clearly is the
most attractive opportunity "; and
WHEREAS, the State of California has seen a decline in the number of small and
mid -sized farms of more than 15 percent since 1990; and many small and mid -sized
producers struggle to make a living from farming due to low prices offered by large
buyers or because of barriers to accessing the processing and distribution infrastructure
that these large buyers control; and
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WHEREAS, agriculture represents an important part of rural and urban
economies, and yet farmland, farms and farmers are at risk because of policy barriers
and inadequate infrastructure that inhibit direct access to urban markets; and
WHEREAS, maintaining and improving the security of a diverse local food supply
is essential to local emergency preparedness and regional self - reliance; and
WHEREAS, access to sustainably- produced, healthy food can be facilitated by
developing the infrastructure necessary to produce food locally and to process, store
and ship food from farmers in our region to local markets such as small scale local
processing facilities; and
WHEREAS, many jurisdictions are witnessing increased need for food and
nutrition services provided by federally- funded nutrition and community -based food
programs in recent years, and access to these programs and services is essential to
food security; and
WHEREAS, a number of urban agriculture, food security, nutrition, farming and
sustainable agriculture organizations and small food businesses in California cities and
counties have received grants through programs funded by the federal Farm Bill to carry
out their important work of increasing residents' access to healthy, sustainable food;
and
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WHEREAS, these and other programs that connect farmers and consumers,
increase food access, promote sustainability and help ensure that family farmers can
make a living from farming have been threatened by budget cuts and political
maneuvering during the 2012 budget debates in Congress and will likely be threatened
again when Congress takes up the next Farm Bill; and
WHEREAS, the policies, programs and funding included in the 2012 Farm Bill
currently pending before the United States Congress will affect how successful
California local governments can be in achieving their goals of improving local food
systems, environmental sustainability, economic development, public health, social
justice, community resilience and emergency preparedness; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Farm Bill Principles were developed as guidance to the
Federal Government as it considers the Farm Bill in 2012;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City of Santa Monica supports the Seattle Farm Bill Principles,
attached to this resolution, and calls upon the Federal Government to work toward a
Farm Bill in 2012 that is consistent with these Principles.
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SECTION 2, The City of Santa Monica calls upon its elected federal
representatives to support programs in the upcoming Farm Bill that rebuild local and
regional food infrastructure; support small and mid -sized producers and ensure that
they are fairly compensated by buyers; promote sustainable and urban agriculture;
increase access to healthy food; and connect local residents with local farmers through
Farmers Markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farm share and other
programs that support direct sales from farmers to consumers.
SECTION 3. The City of Santa Monica calls upon its elected federal
representatives to protect funding for programs consistent with the above values in the
2012 budget, including but not limited to the Business and Industry Loan Program,
Rural Business Enterprise Grants, Organic Transition programs, the National
Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, Farmers Market Nutrition Program,
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Programs, the Office of Advocacy and Outreach and
the Office of Tribal Relations, and conservation programs such as the Conservation
Stewardship Program.
SECTION 4. The City of Santa Monica calls upon its elected federal
representatives to remove federal subsidies that support industrial farming, including
subsidies for animal feed crops such as corn and soy and instead subsidize foods that
the federal dietary guidelines urge Americans to consume more of, such as fruits and
vegetables.
SECTION 5. The City of Santa Monica calls upon its elected federal
representatives to support implementation of the Grain Inspection Packers and
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Stockyard Act rules approved by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill and expand such
protections in the upcoming Farm Bill to ensure that family farmers are paid and treated
fairly by the companies that purchase their products.
SECTION 6. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and
thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
113991TOMWIMT. • •:u
MA SHA O ES NIO TRIE
City or
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Adopted and approved this 8th day of May, 2012.
( a v
Glea , Davis, Mayor Pro Tern
I, Denise Anderson - Warren, Acting City Clerk of the City of Santa Monica, do
hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 10676 4CCS) was duly adopted at a
meeting of the Santa Monica City Council held on the 8 h day of May, 2012, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Holbrook, McKeown, O'Day,
Mayor Pro Tern Davis
NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers O'Connor, Shriver
Mayor Bloom
ATTEST:
Denise Anderson - Warren, Acting City Clerk