Albany – Assemblymember Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes (D-Buffalo) announced final passage of her bill (A.5102) to encourage increased State purchases of homegrown New York foods. Peoples-Stokes developed the legislation when she was Chair of the Assembly’s Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition and Policy, last fall.
“As an Erie County legislator I helped to bring a food market, and local fresh fruits and vegetables, to a “food desert” in my community. This not only benefited the health of inner city families, but the economic health of farm families in WNY. As a State legislator I want to provide the same benefits, for those who we feed in State facilities and the farmers’ who would see increased sales if the State bought more food from them,” said Peoples-Stokes.
This bill seeks to increase the amount of food purchased by New York State that is locally produced or processed. It requires the State to develop guidelines to better accomplish this effort. The State would also collect information about the origins of the food that it purchases to evaluate its support for the local food economy. Tracking State agencies' purchases would be beneficial to help the State and food vendors to identify how food dollars are being spent now, opportunities for additional purchases of local foods by the State, and opportunities for producers to begin, or expand, production of foods that are being procured elsewhere.
“The citizens of New York actively support local agriculture by using their purchasing power at farmers' markets, restaurants, other food retailers and increasingly at institutions such as schools and universities. The power of State purchasing should also be used to support the State's farmers and food producers and small food businesses. This bill would make clear to procurement officials, vendors seeking to sell food to the State, farmers and business owners that New York intends to be part of the local food movement,” added Peoples-Stokes.
Local food procurement is also part of the effort to promote healthier diets that reduce public health problems such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Research shows that strong local food systems can give residents access to fresher, more nutritious produce.