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HB 1987 - Food security strategy

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Section 1

  1. The legislature intends to provide for the development of a strategy for statewide food security in order to end hunger, reduce diet-related environmental health disparities, and increase agricultural sustainability and resilience.

  2. This section expires July 1, 2028.

Section 2

  1. The department of agriculture shall develop a strategy to enhance statewide food security in order to end hunger, reduce environmental health disparities, and increase agricultural sustainability and resilience. The department shall convene the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the department of health, the department of social and health services, the state conservation commission, the office of farmland preservation, the department of ecology, the University of Washington, Washington State University, members of the food policy forum, and nonprofit hunger relief organizations to develop the strategy. The department of agriculture must also consult with nonprofit, research, public sector, and private sector experts on agricultural resilience and food access when developing the strategy.

  2. At a minimum, the strategy must address the following:

    1. Define statewide food security in terms of food access and affordability;

    2. Build statewide agricultural resilience by:

      1. Identifying barriers to farming and ways to encourage agricultural job creation and retention;

      2. Identifying ways to support land access and maintenance;

      3. Identifying ways to provide for adaptability in agricultural practices; and

      4. Identifying ways to provide for adaptability in zoning and land use for agricultural production;

    3. Build long-term food security by:

      1. Encouraging urban agriculture;

      2. Integrating nutrition and health;

      3. Identifying ways to empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy food;

      4. Support physical activity for all; and

    4. Enhance nutrition and food security research.

  3. The department of agriculture shall provide the statewide food security strategy, in conformance with RCW 43.01.036, to the appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 2027.

  4. This section expires July 1, 2028.

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