[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 89 (Thursday, June 20, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E928]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       FEDERAL AGRICULTURE REFORM AND RISK MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1947) to 
     provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and 
     other programs of the Department of Agriculture through 
     fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes:

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chair, millions of people in our country lack 
basic access to fresh, healthy foods. Three million people in New York 
City alone live in places where stores that sell fresh produce are few 
or far away. These people have difficulty accessing fruits and 
vegetables, cooking meals with unprocessed foods, and getting the 
nutrients they need to live a healthy lifestyle.
  These conditions exacerbate the obesity epidemic in America. More 
than a third of adults and 17 percent of children are obese, and 
obesity rates in low-income and minority communities are even higher.
  The roots of the problem are structural: without access to fresh 
foods high in nutrients and low in calories, we can't expect people to 
keep a healthy diet. And we can't expect their children to learn 
healthy eating habits.
  Recently, there has been progress in connecting urban areas with 
sources for healthier food, and this Farm Bill makes important progress 
in that area. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative and other programs 
will continue to bring supermarkets and farmers' markets to new 
communities.
  But there are also exciting opportunities to use the spaces and 
resources available to inner-city neighborhoods to grow fresh foods 
right where they are needed the most and educate the community about 
the value of these foods. Urban farming can turn abandoned properties 
or public spaces into community gardens and centers of learning.
  For instance, Added Value in New York City, which I have worked to 
support, has operated five farms in New York City over the past 13 
years. Today, it cultivates two farms in Red Hook, employs 40 teenagers 
through its youth empowerment program, and educates 1,200 students 
every year about healthy food and farming.
  Unfortunately, urban farms face many challenges, from a lack of 
funding to restrictive zoning rules that limit the spaces available to 
them. Although USDA has programs in place that can help urban farmers, 
small organizations often lack the resources to navigate a complicated 
system and gain access to these programs.
  My amendment would open up more opportunities for urban agriculture 
and assist urban farmers in applying to programs that could benefit 
them. Reforms like this can help urban farms across the country bring 
healthy foods into their communities and educate students and families 
about the value of healthy foods and how to use them at home.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting access to fresh, healthy 
foods for low-income individuals through the development of urban 
agriculture. Through careful reforms, we can help urban farms educate 
Americans about their food choices, fight the obesity epidemic, and 
turn undeveloped properties in inner-city neighborhoods into valuable 
community spaces.

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