Reps. Hansen, Acciavatti, Adamini, Bieda, Booher, Brown, Condino, Cushingberry, Espinoza, Gillard, Gonzales, Hopgood, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, McDowell, Mortimer, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Stewart, Taub, Tobocman, Vagnozzi and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 178.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to fully fund the Select Michigan agricultural program through the United States Department of Agriculture.

            Whereas, The Michigan Department of Agriculture introduced the Select Michigan campaign in the Grand Rapids area to encourage Michigan residents to purchase locally grown and produced foods. Recently expanded to the Detroit area, the program uses posters, banners, and stickers in Michigan grocery stores and farmers' markets to identify locally grown food products. Since 2001, the Select Michigan program has highlighted the numerous Michigan-grown products available in the state, including apples, asparagus, blueberries, cherries, chestnuts, corn, dry beans, honey, maple syrup, peaches, and strawberries; and

            Whereas, Access to fresh and nutritious food products is vital to the health and well-being of Michigan residents. Michigan farms, which are second in the nation in the diversity of agricultural products grown, provide residents with a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Identifying and marketing these products to the local population enables residents to support Michigan's agricultural industry, which contributes significantly to Michigan's economic well-being. An estimated $59 million would enter the Michigan economy each year if each Michigan resident spent just $10 weekly on Michigan-grown products; and

            Whereas, In 2001, a one-time block grant of $3.75 million from the United States Department of Agriculture provided support to launch the Select Michigan program. The program is able to continue due to a unique funding partnership involving the private sector and the federal government. However, to ensure all Michigan residents have access to fresh and nutritious locally grown food products and allow the Select Michigan program to expand to encompass the state, full funding of this program by the federal government is necessary; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to fully fund the Select Michigan agricultural program through the United States Department of Agriculture; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.