Fiscal Note
No appropriation is required.
Title
SUBSTITUTE - Urging the Congressional Delegation of Wisconsin, U.S. Congress, White House Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other governmental bodies and organizations to support policies and programs that encourage the development of diversified farming practices that promote a healthy, sustainable food production system.
Body
WHEREAS; the diversification of farmland, such as, crop rotation, a diversity of food-crop production, and value-added on-farm production, is critical to mitigate the risk to individual farmers of relying on one uniform crop;
WHEREAS; crop rotation and the use of compost replenishes soil nutrients that are vital to maximize yields while reducing reliance on artificial enhancers;
WHEREAS; diversified farming practices, such as Integrated Pest Management approaches, can reduce the number of pesticide applications required and decrease the amount of pesticide residue on produce;
WHEREAS; diversification promotes the utilization and maximization of existing farmland, key to combating deforestation, loss of native prairielands, and erosion, all symptoms of the ever-expanding footprint of agriculture;
WHEREAS; diversification also includes the use of urban, peri-urban, and suburban land in close proximity to its users;
WHEREAS; diversification encourages the production of food-crop for human consumption, especially in making balanced nutrition available to local and regional food systemseconomies, instead of production for fuel.and animal feed, and international markets;
WHEREAS; diversification has the potential to promote climate-responsible production, decreasing the amount of water and chemicals needed to stimulate uniform crops in all seasons;
WHEREAS; diversification can positively impact food transportation systems, improving food access, and reducing highway congestion and greenhouse gas emissions;
WHEREAS; federal farm and food legislation historically provides large subsidies and aggressive crop insurance for corn, and soybean, and other commodity crop production with little incentives or programs for diversified farming practices, especially fruits and vegetables production;
WHEREAS; federal programs, such as the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), should support projects that increase access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities while expanding the demand for fresh, healthy food;
WHEREAS; MyPlate standards, developed by the USDA and the Obama Administration, call for balanced, healthy diets for all Americans in order to combat the epidemic of obesity, and those standards should be reflected in farm and food legislation;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Common Council urge the U.S. Congress, the ObamaWhite House Administration, the Congressional Delegation of Wisconsin, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other governmental bodies and organizations to develop and support policies and programs that encourage the development of diversified farmland which promotes a healthy, sustainable food production system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the diversification of farmland is crucial to the nation's food security, support of local and regional food systems, and the health and wellness of individuals and the environment.