Bill Text: NJ SR119 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Urges NJ Dept. of Agriculture to promote gleaning and post gleaning information on website.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-21 - Filed with Secretary of State [SR119 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-SR119-Introduced.html

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 119

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JANUARY 15, 2019

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

Senator  TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges NJ Dept. of Agriculture to promote gleaning and post gleaning information on website.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


A Senate Resolution urging the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to promote gleaning and post information about gleaning on its website.

 

Whereas, According to the United States Department of Agriculture, over 100 billion pounds of food are wasted in the United States each year; and

Whereas, At the same time, an estimated 15 million American households, including more than 2.9 million households with children, were food insecure in 2017, meaning they lacked the resources to provide enough food for all of their family members at some time during the year; and

Whereas, In 2017, an estimated 5.8 million households had very low food security, which means some household members faced a reduction in food intake and a disruption of normal eating patterns at times during the year; and

Whereas, Fifty-eight percent of food-insecure households in 2017 reportedly had participated in one or more of the three largest federal nutrition assistance programs (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children; and the National School Lunch Program); and

Whereas, In New Jersey, food insecurity affects 1.15 million people, including 375,000 children; and

Whereas, It is estimated that reducing food losses by just 15 percent could save enough food to feed more than 25 million Americans every year; and

Whereas, Gleaning--the process of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, State and county fairs, and other sources in order to provide it to those in need--prevents the unnecessary wasting of quality food, and gives low-income populations access to fresh, nutritious foods that are not always available in their communities; and

Whereas, The Department of Agriculture currently promotes gleaning activities by providing grants related to gleaning and by publishing information about "New Jersey Gleaning Week," on its website; and

Whereas, As an agency that protects and serves the Garden State's diverse agriculture and agribusiness industries, the Department of Agriculture is well-positioned to play a critical role in helping to alleviate hunger and reduce food waste by continuing to promote gleaning activities and by posting additional information about gleaning on its website; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    This House respectfully urges the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to promote gleaning and to post information about gleaning on its website.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution respectfully urges the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to promote gleaning and to post information about gleaning on its website.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture, over 100 billion pounds of food are wasted in the United States each year.  At the same time, an estimated 15 million American households, including more than 2.9 million households with children, were food insecure in 2017, lacking the resources to consistently provide enough food for all of their family members.  In New Jersey, food insecurity affects 1.15 million people, including 375,000 children.  It is estimated that reducing food losses by just 15 percent could save enough food to feed more than 25 million Americans every year.  Gleaning--the process of collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, grocers, restaurants, state and county fairs, or other sources in order to provide it to those in need--prevents the unnecessary wasting of quality food, and gives low-income populations access to fresh, nutritious foods that are not always available in their communities.

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