[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH

  (Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
National Farm to School Month.
  During the month of October, thousands of local food producers in 
schools across the country have been working together to promote food 
and agriculture education.
  Since Farm to School Month was established in 2010, the National Farm 
to School Network has worked to highlight the importance of teaching 
kids the benefits of healthy food choices and the advantages for our 
local economies when we buy them from local producers.
  The Farm to School Network provides kids with hands-on nutrition 
education through projects like community gardens and farm field trips.
  Earlier this year, members of my staff worked at a community garden 
in Springfield, Illinois, sponsored by genHkids, a nonprofit 
organization that strives to educate children about the importance of 
healthy eating.
  I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1061, the Farm to School Act, which expands 
USDA grant funding to schools, agricultural producers, and nonprofits 
to improve access to local foods for programs that serve our 
communities, such as the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food 
Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
  Our local food producers play an integral role in feeding central and 
southern Illinois families. In celebration of National Farm to School 
Month, thank you to all our farmers and schools that bring healthy, 
local foods to the table for our kids.

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