Legislative Session Update

The Houston Food Bank (HFB) has been an active participant in the 84th Texas Regular Legislative Session (TRLS).  On February 11th, HFB President and CEO Brian Greene, along with Public Policy Manager Dr. Pamela Berger and Apple Corps Public Policy Volunteer Dr. Valerie Hawthorne visited with senior staff in offices of ten of the 50 Houston Food Bank service area delegation members in Austin. 

The purpose of our visits was to discuss increased funding for the Texas Agriculture Grant, requested by Feeding Texas (formerly the Texas Food Bank Network). Food banks are seeking the increased funding in order to provide more fresh local produce to kids and their families through innovative school-based nutrition education and fruit and vegetable distribution programs.  Presently in Houston and Dallas, and planned for a statewide rollout, this initiative is called Feeding With Impact.

On February 16th, our funding request was on the Agenda in a House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing during which the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture expressed support for the Texas agriculture grant program.

On February 20th, the Senate Finance Committee will begin Hearings on the Texas Department of Agriculture budget, and on February 26th-27th, we will again be making visits to other members of the HFB delegation to request support for the Feeding With Impact initiative and the increased funding for surplus produce upon which it depends.

It’s still early in the session, and requested funding will certainly far exceed the budget which the Legislative Budget Board has determined available to policy-makers, but initial discussion of Feeding With Impact has been positive; more information should be forthcoming in the next newsletter.