Grainnet

Rapid City—National Farmers Union (NFU) delegates today adopted a special order of business calling on policy makers to consider the unique challenges facing rural America while debating policy solutions regarding food safety legislation.

“The current economic climate is placing unprecedented demand on federal nutrition programs which is a trend that will only increase as the recession continues,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that the number of people served by nutrition assistance programs will grow from 74 million in Fiscal Year 2009 t o 86 million in Fiscal Year 2011.”

NFU delegates called on policy makers to address the following provisions when considering future food safety legislation:

• Place increased emphasis on farm to school programs as a way to increase the nutritional value of school lunches and educate youth on where their food comes from;

• Facilitate connections between the producer and consumer, cultivating lifelong healthy eating habits and expanding local market opportunities for producers;

• Emphasize including $10 million in mandatory annual funding for competitive grants for farm to school program development;

• Improve children’s access to nutritious foods at all times through increased funding for school breakfasts and afterschool, weekend and summer meals and snacks; and

• Strengthen the Food Safety Inspection Service, so long as undue burden is not placed on producers to fund food safety measures.

“America’s family farmers and ranchers are best positioned to provide the nation with a safe, nutritious, affordable and abundant food supply,” said Johnson.

“It is also vital that imported food be held to the same level of food safety as domestic production.”

For more information, call 202-554-1600.

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• NFU

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