SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 33

(By Senators Miller, Stollings, Snyder, Unger, Williams, Prezioso and Plymale)

Designating Tuesday, February 17, 2015, as West Virginia Local Food Systems Day at the Legislature.

            Whereas, The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition is made of farmers, food processors, distributors, agencies, health professionals, extension agents, researchers, nonprofits, farmers markets, youth groups, religious organizations, consumers and institutions that feed people; and

            Whereas, The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition works within its network to change agricultural policy, promote access to local foods, share resources and grow food and farm business; and

            Whereas, The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition developed and enacted the Road Map for the Food Economy, a food charter that was developed through public input from hundreds of West Virginians from all geographic areas and walks of life that outlines major challenges facing West Virginia’s food economy and serves as an action plan with a series of four goals and accompanying changes needed, next steps and indicators of success; and

            Whereas, The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition convenes five food and farm working groups that are tasked with overcoming the challenges outlines in the Road Map for the Food Economy. These working groups include Aggregation and Distribution; Meat Processing Facilities; School, Youth and Community Gardens; Access to Local, Healthy Food; and affiliate group West Virginia Farmers Market Association. Working groups are made of volunteers with backgrounds in various sectors of West Virginia’s food system that come together to work through West Virginia’s food system challenges and opportunities and implement impactful projects and policies; and

            Whereas, The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition, with its partners, aids in building and strengthening food and farm businesses and seeks to spur economic growth through building a strong food economy in West Virginia; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate:

            That the Senate hereby designates Tuesday, February 17, 2015, as West Virginia Local Food Systems Day at the Legislature; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition.