[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17441]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TASTE WASHINGTON DAY

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                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. INSLEE. Madam Speaker, today is Taste Washington Day, when more 
than sixty local schools and fifty local farms in my home state team up 
to celebrate Washington-grown produce and teach kids about healthy 
eating habits by featuring locally-sourced meals in the school 
cafeterias.
  The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Farm-to-School 
Program and the Washington School Nutrition Association (WSNA) have 
partnered with local schools to feature Washington-grown foods in their 
school meals. From fresh-dug potatoes in potato salad to just-picked 
lettuces in fresh salads, this state-wide event is a great opportunity 
for students, teachers, and parents to consider where their food comes 
from, how it is produced and the benefits of a healthy diet.
  Washington state is one of the most productive growing regions in the 
world. Our $38 billion agricultural industry is one of the cornerstones 
of our state's economy and supports over 160,000 jobs. If the Midwest 
is our nation's breadbasket and California our salad bowl, then I 
submit that Washington is our nation's fruit stand. We may be famous 
for our apples, which constitute 59 percent of U.S. production, but we 
also rank first in our nation's production of sweet cherries, red 
raspberries, hops, and pears. Our rich soils, unique climate and hard-
working growers produce a wide array of agricultural products like 
wheat, potatoes and wine grapes for local, regional, national and 
global markets. Our geographic location and deep-water ports make us 
well positioned for global trade. Nearly $14.8 billion in food and 
agricultural products were exported through Washington ports in 2008, 
the third largest total in the U.S.
  Our agricultural bounty supports a $13 billion food processing 
industry that employs thousands of Washingtonians. Washington is the 
leading U.S. producer of apple juice and a leading producer of grape 
and berry juices. It also has a vibrant and growing wine industry and 
is the second largest wine producer in the nation with over 600 
wineries. We have a strong and productive food and agriculture industry 
that feeds and employs people in every single county in Washington. 
Agriculture has been and will continue to be a strong part of our 
state's economic and cultural identity.
  Taste Washington Day offers our kids a chance to establish a deeper 
connection and develop a better understanding of our state's food 
system, from farm to fork and each step in between. The more 
opportunities our children have to learn about the people, time, effort 
and resources necessary to turn a seed into a crop, the more they will 
appreciate the food on their plates. As the next generation, it will be 
up to them to continue our state's agricultural heritage and history.
  The valuable and delicious lessons learned through events such as 
Taste Washington Day will help them carry on our state's proud 
traditions.
  Nutrition is another key element of Taste Washington Day. Right now, 
Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. For the sake of 
our nation's health, we need to find ways to instill healthy eating 
habits in our children, including eating more fruits and vegetables. 
The more exposure kids get to fresh, healthy foods, the more they will 
choose them. Pilot programs in Washington state schools that promote 
salad bars and healthy choices have shown us that given options, kids 
will choose fruits and vegetables over prepackaged, processed items. 
The Washington School Nutrition Association helped school districts put 
together the menus for today's event, showcasing local produce in 
healthy menu items, a win for local farms and local kids. Taste 
Washington Day shows kids that the healthy choice can also be a tasty 
choice.
  I encourage my colleagues to take a look at the relationships 
Washington schools and farms are building and lessons they are teaching 
on Taste Washington Day and explore ways they can support such efforts 
in their own districts.

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