SAN FRANCISCO, CA - As the U.S. faces many ongoing challenges, food insecurity remains one that the fresh produce industry can have a hand in helping overcome. In its mission to provide solutions, The SF Market hosted Congressman James McGovern (D-MA), Chairman of the House Rule Committee, at its Bayview Hunter’s Point facility on August 19 to discuss a comprehensive nationwide plan to end food insecurity.
“I want to thank Congressman McGovern for his sustained leadership to advance the national conversation around food insecurity. Based on our own work here at The SF Market, we believe this is a discussion that is overdue,” said Michael Janis, General Manager and Executive Director of The SF Market. “We serve as a primary link between growers and the farming communities across 38 California counties and the food businesses in the Bay Area and fully support the idea of a White House Hunger Conference. We are here to support the Congressman in any way as the conference takes shape.”
The meeting was part of the Representative’s national listening tour to help find solutions to end food insecurity, according to a press release. The visit was co-organized by the San Francisco Food As Medicine Collaborative and SPUR and included several local site visits.
SF Market is home to over 26 merchants that distribute millions of pounds of fresh produce through the Bay Area and out to independent retailers, restaurants, and nonprofit organizations. As part of its Food Recovery Program and the Food As Medicine CV-19 Emergency Response Program, the company works directly with over 30 local organizations to ensure that the Bay Area community has access to high-quality, nutritious food. The SF Market programs have distributed a total of over 8 million pounds of produce and other food to Bay Area organizations, including nearly 5 million during the pandemic alone.
“The Market is more than just vendors and distributors—they are people dedicated to providing mom and pop shops and restaurants with quality produce and ensuring that those in need have healthy food throughout the COVID pandemic,” said McGovern. “They’re an example of what can be achieved when we join forces and commit to expanding access to healthy foods in a way that respects the culturally diverse community. I’m looking forward to seeing how they further combat food insecurity in the years ahead as they look to expand their market and build on their incredible work.”
Congressman McGovern represent Massachusetts’ 2nd congressional district as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He is Chair of the House Rules Committee, Co-Chair of the House Hunger Caucus and member of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations, firmly believing that food should be a fundamental right for all Americans.
As Chair of the House Rules Committee, McGovern advocates for a White House Food, Nutrition, and Health Conference to explore a unified federal approach to food insecurity. The first and only conference of this nature took place at the White House in 1969, which led to landmark legislation to reduce food insecurity, such as SNAP.
With companies like SF Market and other leaders in the fresh produce industry making moves to reduce food insecurity, what solutions will be presented? Stick with AndNowUKnow for updates.
