[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H467]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     IMPROVING ACCESS TO LOCAL FOOD IN NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, Growing Places, an imaginative nonprofit 
based in Leominster, Massachusetts, is leading a new effort in our 
region to improve access to local fruits and vegetables. They have 
established a local food processing center that takes raw produce, 
items like old butternut squash, potatoes, apples, carrots, and 
cauliflower, and peels, chops, and packages it into an easy-to-consume 
form.
  When I visited, we peeled and cubed local squash for schools and 
hospitals that could be roasted or easily turned into soup. This 
processing center helps farmers more easily take the nutritious food 
that they grow to market. It helps institutions purchase more local 
food because they often don't have the equipment or resources to 
prepare the raw produce onsite. It improves access to local produce for 
families at school, work, and home through their produce delivery 
program.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the incredible Ayn Yeagle and the entire Growing 
Places team for their work to improve our local food system, make us 
all healthier, and end hunger now.

                          ____________________