Food is an integral part of our lives. It affects how we learn, work and live. From the toddler who needs nutritious food to building strong muscles and bones, to the high-school student who can’t learn algebra on an empty stomach, to the family that gets a moment to slow down and enjoy dinner together, food should keep us healthy and happy.
If we want healthy families in Washington we must support those who provide food to our communities, at every step in the process, from production to consumption. We must ensure that wheat farmers in Eastern Washington can transport crops to market, that Ethiopian immigrants in SeaTac can sell their homemade Injera at farmers markets and that all families have access to healthy, fresh food that helps them thrive.
House Democrats are committed to creating a comprehensive food policy that works for all Washingtonians. Whether it’s rolling wheat fields in Spokane county helping to feed the world or a small urban garden in Tacoma helping to stock the local food bank we are taking steps to create a Washington food policy that works from farm to table. Just a few things we have done to date:
- Help farmers support bee pollination so their crops can thrive;
- Provide a healthy breakfast for students at school;
- Provide grants to connect growers with the most modern farming techniques;
- Fully fund food assistance and emergency food assistance so families in need can afford tomatoes instead of Top Ramen;
- Provide fee exemptions to cider producers to help them thrive
Boost education and jobs with $600,000 in new funding for four farming degrees at WSU-Everett in two phase: Agriculture & Food Security and Organic Agriculture, then Sustainable Food Systems and Urban Horticulture.