Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is continuing his effort to include provisions in the upcoming Farm Bill that support healthy, affordable foods and strengthen local and regional food systems. In a letter, Feingold led a group of Senators in urging the Senate Agriculture Committee to support programs that encourage healthy food choices by connecting schools, institutions, and underserved communities with the farms and gardens that produce their food. The programs outlined in the letter were largely based on provisions in the Rural Opportunities Act, which Feingold introduced earlier this year.

“The rise of hunger and obesity in both rural and urban America is in part a result of a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Feingold said. “As part of helping Americans get healthy, we should consider new policies to increase access to healthy foods. With most American children eating less fruits and vegetables than recommended, it is important to promote healthy foods in our schools.”

Feingold’s Rural Opportunities Act supports valuable new markets for farmers while at the same time increasing access to healthy foods in schools and communities. In the letter, Feingold and his colleagues urged the Senate Agriculture Committee to include a number of provisions in the Rural Opportunities Act in the Farm Bill, including school-specific provisions that would clarify procurement rules to allow local farmers to supply school cafeterias with locally produced products. They also called on the Committee to support other ways to create linkages that benefit both the food producer and the previously underserved communities though encouraging farmers markets, community food projects, urban agriculture and local food infrastructure.

Feingold’s efforts have the support of over 180 organizations from more than 40 states, including the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, Cornucopia Institute, Dane County Food Council, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and the REAP Food Group in Wisconsin.

“Farmers’ market nutrition programs increase access to locally grown fruits and vegetables for the poor, providing a healthy addition to diets that often lack fresh produce,” said Jon Janowski, Hunger Task Force director of advocacy. “Just as importantly, the farmers’ market programs, food stamps and other government nutrition programs guarantee Wisconsin’s poor a level of dignity in making healthy food choices for themselves and their families. We fully support any provisions in the farm bill that help expand these programs to benefit the poor.”

“The federal government has an important role to play in supporting America’s small towns and rural areas, which contribute so much to our economy, and to our strength as a nation,” Feingold said. “Through these local food initiatives, Congress can support rural communities and at the same time increase access to and consumption of healthy locally produced food.”