texasfaithandfood.org
Urban Farming Legislation
The 82nd legislative session was a landmark for urban agriculture in Texas. Through HB 2994, HB 2996, and HB 2997 (Miles/Estes), the Legislature opened up new directions for future work on the related issues of hunger, nutrition, economic development and local environmental planning.
Texas has one of the largest “grocery gaps” in the nation, with the fewest number of supermarkets per capita of any state. Texas’ major cities, including Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, are also underserved compared to most of the nation’s major metropolitan areas. Strangely, our growing obesity problem is related to this. People who have food access difficulties must resort to the processed foods found in convenient stores. Currently, these processed foods are also much cheaper than healthy and fresh food.
Here's How They Voted On Final Passage of HB 2994:
HOUSE
Passed unanimously on Local Calendar.
SENATE
AYES - 27
Carona(R); Davis, Wendy(D); Deuell(R); Duncan(R); Ellis(D); Eltife(R); Estes(R); Fraser(R); Gallegos(D); Harris(R); Hinojosa(D); Huffman(R); Jackson, Mike(R); Lucio(D); Nelson(R); Nichols(R); Ogden(R); Patrick, Dan(R); Rodriguez(D); Seliger(R); Uresti(D); Van de Putte(D); Watson(D); Wentworth(R); West(D); Whitmire(D); Zaffirini(D)
NAYS - 3
Birdwell(R); Hegar(R); Shapiro(R)
PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 0
ABSENT - 1
Williams(R)
Here's How They Voted On Final Passage of HB 2996:
HOUSE
Passed unanimously on Local Calendar.
SENATE
AYES - 25
Carona(R); Davis, Wendy(D); Deuell(R); Duncan(R); Ellis(D); Eltife(R); Estes(R); Fraser(R); Gallegos(D); Harris(R); Hinojosa(D); Huffman(R); Lucio(D); Nelson(R); Nichols(R); Ogden(R); Rodriguez(D); Seliger(R); Uresti(D); Van de Putte(D); Watson(D); Wentworth(R); West(D); Whitmire(D); Zaffirini(D).
NAYS - 5.
Birdwell(R); Hegar(R); Jackson, Mike(R); Patrick, Dan(R); Shapiro(R).
PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 0.
ABSENT - 1.
Williams(R).
Here's How They Voted On Final Passage of HB 2997:
HOUSE
Passed unanimously on Local Calendar.
SENATE
AYES - 25
Carona(R); Davis, Wendy(D); Deuell(R); Duncan(R); Ellis(D); Eltife(R); Estes(R); Fraser(R); Gallegos(D); Harris(R); Hinojosa(D); Huffman(R); Lucio(D); Nelson(R); Nichols(R); Ogden(R); Rodriguez(D); Seliger(R); Uresti(D); Van de Putte(D); Watson(D); Wentworth(R); West(D); Whitmire(D); Zaffirini(D)
NAYS - 5
Birdwell(R); Hegar(R); Jackson, Mike(R); Patrick, Dan(R); Shapiro(R)
PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 0
ABSENT - 1
Williams(R)
Summer Food Expansion
SB 89 (Lucio/Rodriguez) expands the number of children the state expects to serve in the federally funded Summer Food Service Program. The bill increases the number of school districts required to offer the summer meal program by stipulating that districts must offer summer meals if at least 50 percent of their students are eligible for free/reduced lunch. The prior regulation had set the limit at 60 percent of students eligible for free/reduce lunch, so the new law will increase the number of districts required to participate.
Congregations have increased options for partnering with local school districts to offer meals to kids during summer vacation. With the expansion of school districts responsible for summer feeding, congregations have increased opportunities to be sites for meal programs school districts sponsor.
Here's How They Voted On Final Passage of SB 89:
HOUSE
Passed on Local Calendar.
SENATE
AYES - 24
Carona(R); Davis, Wendy(D); Deuell(R); Duncan(R); Ellis(D); Eltife(R); Estes(R); Gallegos(D); Hinojosa(D); Huffman(R); Jackson, Mike(R); Lucio(D); Nichols(R); Rodriguez(D); Seliger(R); Shapiro(R); Uresti(D); Van de Putte(D); Watson(D); Wentworth(R); West(D); Whitmire(D); Williams(R); Zaffirini(D)
NAYS - 7
Birdwell(R); Fraser(R); Harris(R); Hegar(R); Nelson(R); Ogden(R); Patrick, Dan(R)
PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 0
ABSENT - 0
Wrap Up of the Farm to Capitol: Growing a Healthy and Equitable Texas Food System
On April 29th, the Texas Food Policy Roundtable (TFPR) hosted Farm to Capitol: Growing a Healthy and Equitable Texas Food System. At this event, legislators, advocates, and organizations that are working to implement good food policy attended a legislative briefing and an open house with these organizations.
Opening the event, Suzii Payntor with the Texas Christian Life Commission described the need for good food policy and the history of TFPR. She explained that Texas is at or near the top in loss of farmland, family food insecurity, obesity rates among children and adults, and has the fewest supermarkets per capita.
Kathy Golson with the Capitol Area Food Bank then described TFPR’s four areas of food policy:
- Improving access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; formerly known as Food Stamps) to prevent hunger and help Texas families afford a nutritious diet;
- Increasing participation in the Summer Nutrition Programs so that children in Texas continue to learn and grow when school is out;
- Promoting policy solutions to increase nutrition, reduce and prevent obesity; and
- Creating a local, sustainable, and accessible food system for all Texans.
Legislators then described specific bills that they are working on that advance TFPR’s four focuses. Senator Lucio, Representative Hughes, Representative Veasey, and Representative Rodriguez all spent time describing their efforts in creating a food secure Texas. Additionally Health and Human Commissioner Suehs and the Texas Department of Agriculture Assistant Commissioner for Food and Nutrition Olige both spoke about their departments’ programs and work implementing food policies already in place.
After the legislative briefing, organizations such as the Texas Food Bank Network, CitySquare of Dallas, AgriLife Extension, the Texas Hunger Initiative, Texas Health Institute, and many local farmers were present to describe their organizations to legislators and their staff.
Farm to Capitol: Growing a Healthy & Equitable Texas Food System
Food to Farm: Growing a Healthy & Equitable Texas Food System
April 29th
Capitol Conference Center, E2.002
9am-10am: legislative briefing
10am-11am: educational open house
Local and healthy snacks provided!
On April 29th, Texas Food Policy Roundtable (TFPR) will host its first-ever Food Policy Day! The purpose of this special day is to brief legislators, legislative staff and other advocates at the Capitol about food-related bills and issues. Since TFPR's ultimate goal is food security in Texas, TFPR wants to show support for food policy and educate our legislators about the impact current food policy bills may have in Texas. Please join us!
Specifically TFPR hopes to educate legislators, staff and supporters about food policy issues related to:
- Summer Food Service Program
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and Education
- Health, Nutrition, and Obesity Prevention
- Sustainable and Local Foods and Community Food Security
Fighting Food Insecurity in the Lone Star State
USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Webinar for Faith-Based Organizations
Could your congregation or organization use free food to feed hungry kids this summer?
If you had free meals, could you spend your limited resources on other costs?
If so, then please join us!
What: USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Webinar for Faith-Based Organizations
Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm EST
Registration Link: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/
Description: Each summer, 22.3 million students are at risk of going hungry when the school year ends and school lunches are no longer available. For many children, school meals are the only complete and nutritious meals they eat, and in the summer they go without. This summer, the need will likely increase. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) can help to fill the summer meal gap for low-income children. Faith-based, community and private non-profit organizations can make a difference in the lives of hungry children by serving meals with SFSP, a federally funded program administered by states that reimburses organizations for meals served to children during the summer.
Join us to learn more about how you can help and hear the benefits to being a part of the Summer Food Service Program! Please share this announcement widely.
Participation: This session will be available via Microsoft Office LiveMeeting (Webinar) and is free for all participants. You will need access to a phone line and a computer with internet access for this webinar. To participate, please complete the online registration. Further information will be forthcoming to registered participants. You must register to receive additional information.
Additional SFSP Information: Additional information on the Summer Food Service Program can be found on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Website, and more on the webinars under the link for “free webinars”: www.summerfood.usda.gov
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact:
Emily Buckham Buday
Emily.buckham@fns.usda.gov
703-605-0772
Play (Outside) Again!
The Children in Nature Collaborative of Austin will be hosting the Austin Premiere of the movie Play Again at The Mexican American Cultural Center (600 River St., Austin, TX 78701) on Wednesday, January 19 at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
Description: This moving and humorous documentary follows six teenagers who, like the "average American child," spend five to fifteen hours a day behind screens. Play Again unplugs these teens and takes them on their first wilderness adventure - no electricity, no cell phone coverage, no virtual reality. Play Again investigates the consequences of a childhood removed from nature and encourages action for a sustainable future.
For more information, visit Nature Rocks Austin.
Texas Children in Nature Conference
Texas Children in Nature Conference
University of Texas at Austin
December 3rd, 8:00am - December 4th, 2:30pm
$50 registration fee (includes meals)
For more information or to register, click here.
Join us for the Texas Children in Nature Conference. Leaders from across the state will convene to advance a state strategic plan to connect children with nature.
Today’s children are allowed less time for unstructured, creative play in nature than ever before. As the trend away from outdoor play and learning deepens, we are witnessing sobering consequences for children’s health and well-being. A strategic plan to address this issue, prepared at the request of a bipartisan group of state legislators and with participation of more than 80 Texas leaders, will be released to the public in November.
The purpose of the Texas Children in Nature Conference is to present the state plan to educators, conservationists, sportsmen, policymakers and other Texans who care about this issue and can work to implement the plan in their communities. The conference will include panel discussions, workshops, a film screening & more.
We are proud to feature informative and inspiring speakers like Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Dr. Joe Frost, Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin; Kevin Coyle, Vice President of Education at National Wildlife Federation; Dr. Elizabeth Goodenough, creator of the PBS documentary Where Do the Children Play?; and Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.
Texas Children in Nature Conference
University of Texas at Austin
December 3rd, 8:00am - December 4th, 2:30pm
$50 registration fee (includes meals)
For more information or to register, click here.
Let's Move: Faith and Communities
“Let’s Move: Faith and Communities” will formally launch on November 29th with a conference call with First Lady Michelle Obama and faith and community leaders. Let’s Move is the First Lady’s initiative to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation.
Texas Impact will provide more details about the launch as the date approaches.
