As the mark-up of the 2007 Farm Bill begins–the first two of six House sub-committees completed their mark-up of the Bill last week– I will be posting a series of updates about the Farm Bill, as I spend the summer in the thick of things interning for a national coalition working to create a Farm Bill that promotes healthy and local foods.

But first, a shameless plug: as part of the Community Food Security Coalition’s work, I am helping to organize a sign-on letter in support of these Healthy Priorities, which will be submitted to the leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee this week as part of a Dear Colleague letter from Senators Feingold and Brown.

If you are involved with an organization that is related to food, agriculture, youth, communities, farms, public health, or really any area that understands the importance of what we put into our bodies and how our tax money is used, please support of the inclusion of initiatives to ensure access to fresh, healthy and local foods for all communities in the 2007 Farm Bill by signing your organization on to the letter to the leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

PLEASE email me to sign on to the letter. For more information about the issues and efforts, visit CFSC’s Farm Bill policy page.

The sign-on letter supports many efforts to create healthier school food environments, to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved areas, and to support community-based food access improvements in rural and urban communities including:

-expanding the Community Food Projects grant program

-clarifying procurement policies for child nutrition programs to allow geographic preferences, for schools to request local foods

-increasing Electronic Benefits Transfer availability at Farmers Markets

-expanding the Farmers Market Nutrition and Farmers Market Promotion Programs,

-expanding urban agriculture initiatives

-expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program