P1 1WHEREAS, April 23, 2015, is the statewide rollout of
2“California Thursdays”; and
3WHEREAS, “California Thursdays” is a collaboration between
4the Center for Ecoliteracy, participating school districts, and allied
5organizations to serve healthy, freshly prepared school meals made
6from California-grown food; and
7WHEREAS, Forty-two innovative school districts that
8collectively serve over 250 million meals a year, including large
9and small rural, urban, and suburban school districts across
10California, have joined the “California Thursdays” network; and
11WHEREAS, California agriculture leads the nation, its 80,500
12farms and ranches received $42.6 billion for their output in 2013,
13and its agricultural abundance comprises more that 400
14commodities, including nearly one-half of United States-grown
15fruits, nuts, and vegetables; and
16WHEREAS, “California Thursdays” will increase the
17procurement of California-grown food, and every dollar spent in
18the agriculture sector adds $2.56 to the state’s economy, according
19to a study from California State University, Fresno; and
20WHEREAS, Children in California face chronic diet-related
21public health challenges, including food insecurity and childhood
22obesity, and the California Endowment states that improvements
23to the school food environment “are resulting in healthier behaviors
24among students”; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Growing evidence demonstrates an association
2between nutrition and academic performance, and California
3children will benefit from understanding where their food comes
4from and how it reaches the table; and
5WHEREAS, Understanding where food comes from and how
6it gets to the table encourages ecological knowledge and aligns
7with state and national education standards; and
8WHEREAS, Research and local success stories indicate that
9improving food quality increases meal program participation and
10revenue; and
11WHEREAS, “California Thursdays” is a bite-sized
12implementation program to improve school food systems in order
13to improve student health and academic achievement, local and
14state economies, and the environment, creating a “triple win”; and
15WHEREAS, “California Thursdays” has received grants from
16the Department of Food and Agriculture, the United States
17Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program, and the
18California Endowment, along with major ongoing support from
19TomKat Charitable Trust; now, therefore, be it
20Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
21Assembly proclaims April 23, 2015, as “California Thursday” in
22the State of California; commends the Center for Ecoliteracy and
23participating school districts for advancing student health and
24academic achievement, investing in California agriculture and
25California’s economy, and benefiting the state’s environment; and
26urges all California schools to participate in “California
27Thursdays”; and be it further
28Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
29of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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