WEST virginia Legislature
2017 regular session
By
[
A BILL to amend the Code
of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated
§19-1-13, relating to the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program; making
legislative findings and intent; creating the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program Fund; and requesting additional funds to be added to the fund.
Be it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West
Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated §19-1-13, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
§19-1-13. Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Fund.
(a) The Legislature
finds and declares that:
(1) The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has
participated in the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program since the
program’s inception in 2001 and competes with other states for federal grant
funding. The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program currently provides
vouchers to eligible seniors to purchase produce at farmers’ markets around the
state.
(2) The voucher is beneficial to both the seniors who receive
the health benefits of additional produce in their diets and local farmers
benefit from the additional moneys being used to purchase produce at local
farmers’ markets.
(3) According to the Center for Disease Control, healthy
diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other
chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and
minerals, fiber and other substances that are important for good health.
(4) In 2010, twenty-three thousand seven hundred fifty
eligible seniors received $20 in vouchers.
(5) The state should consider adding $30 to the amount of the
current voucher.
(b) There is created a Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program Fund with the specific purpose of supplementing the federal funds
received for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
(c) Moneys in the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Fund at the close of the fiscal year remain in the Seniors Farmers’ Market
Nutrition Program Fund and do not lapse to the general revenue.
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
section to create a fund subject to general revenue appropriation to provide
for additional moneys to be used for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition
Program.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is
to develop a Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Fund within the
Department of Agriculture. The bill also asks that the state consider adding an
additional $30 to the $20 in vouchers that eligible seniors received in 2010.
Strike-throughs indicate language
that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring
indicates new language that would be added.