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p' <br /> COUNTY OF HAWAII • it- • STATE OF HAWAII <br /> RESOLUTION NO. 305 10 <br /> ( DRAFT 2) <br /> A RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT A FARM -TO- <br /> ' SCHOOL PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE FARM -TO- SCHOOL <br /> POLICY. <br /> WHEREAS, Farm -To- School (FTS) programs are put in place to help school cafeterias <br /> provide healthier and more nutritious meals to students, while simultaneously building <br /> relationships with current farmers and creating new possibilities for new farms and farmers to <br /> enter into contractual relationships with schools, thus increasing our children's health and <br /> learning possibilities, while assisting our local communities in the creation of a healthy <br /> agricultural economy; and <br /> WHEREAS, FTS programs are currently growing across the nation, and play an integral <br /> part in First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, fighting against childhood obesity <br /> and supporting healthier food choices at school and at home; and <br /> WHEREAS, both a Senate Bill (SB 1179) and a House Bill (HB 1434) were presented to <br /> the twenty -fifth legislature (2009), both related to FTS programs for Hawai`i State, and both <br /> bills have been carried over to the 2010 Regular Session; and <br /> WHEREAS, specifically, the feasibility study requested through HB 1434 to the <br /> University of Hawai`i College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) has <br /> recently been released, covering the background of school meals, while listing the pros and cons <br /> of the implementation of FTS programs for Hawaii State; and <br /> WHEREAS, this study and data from a 2007 National Survey of Children's Health <br /> (NSCH) reveals that 17.3% of Hawaii children aged 10 to 17 are overweight, and another 11.2% <br /> are obese; and <br /> WHEREAS, many national studies have proven that the access to fresh, local produce <br /> through salad bars increased the daily consumption of vegetables and fruits, with children taking <br /> more than the USDA required minimum daily serving; and <br /> WHEREAS, though Hawai`i County has to date no official FTS program in place, at <br /> least 52 out of 70 public /private /charter K -12 schools on Hawaii Island have school gardens, <br /> providing hands -on learning experience in farming, developing agricultural and scientific <br /> education, and simply offering healthy outdoor activities; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Hawaii County Council is responsible for the health and welfare of the <br /> residents and children of the island; now, therefore, <br />