The Nation's Mayors Commend Passage of Senate Farm Bill

Statements from The United States Conference of Mayors Leadership

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) today commended the U.S. Senate on passage of the Agricultural Reform, Food and Jobs Act, commonly referred to as The Farm Bill, which preserves the structure of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; strengthens local and regional food systems; and conserves national resources.  The Conference of Mayors now urges the U.S. House to move swiftly to pass legislation with similar protections.

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Last week at its annual meeting, The Conference of Mayors unanimously approved a resolution that calls for a farm bill supporting local and regional food systems.  To view the resolution, please visit www.usmayors.org.

Below are statements from the USCM leadership:

USCM President Philadelphia (PA) Mayor Michael Nutter:

"Making sure families have access to fresh food is more than just a quality-of-life issue, it is a very real way to reduce obesity, improve the health of city residents and, in turn, lessen the burden on the health-care system.  Just last week, The Conference of Mayors affirmed its support for strong farm bill that supports local and regional food systems as a means of promoting healthy living and increasing benefits to local economies and preserves our natural resources.  We are pleased that the Senate has done its part by passing the farm bill, and we encourage the House to do its part by passing a farm bill with similar priorities."

USCM Food Policy Task Force Chair Boston (MA) Mayor Tom Menino and Task Force Vice-Chair Baltimore (MD) Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:

"We see hunger and poverty in our cities every day and we know that without a plan to revitalize our economy, our families and children will continue to need this safety net program.  At the same time, we mayors also see the 'food revolution' that is occurring in our cities -- more farmers markets, more urban farms.  We are pleased to see several initiatives in this legislation that will support these creative local efforts, and commend the us department of agriculture and a growing number of senators and representatives for their support.  Now it is time for action in the house, and America's mayors will continue the fight for healthier food and stronger local food economies."

Former USCM President Los Angeles (CA) Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa:

"We commend the Senate for their bipartisan compromise and working hard to timely pass a farm bill, and we call upon the House to do the same. It is critical to preserve funding for nutritional assistance for the millions of needy residents in our cities throughout the country, particularly in these difficult economic times. Congress should also preserve conservation programs, and support for our country's healthy produce."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,309 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors