WHEREAS, the State of Delaware has a robust agricultural industry that produces poultry, corn, strawberries, apples, peaches, blueberries, cabbage, and value-added products; and
WHEREAS, Delaware is encouraging the growth of oyster aquaculture in the State’s Inland Bays through the Delaware Sea Grant; and
WHEREAS, agencies and businesses can contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions related to food transport by buying products locally; and
WHEREAS, enhancing a locally sourced food economy provides benefits to consumers such as increased food freshness, reduction in frequency of food contamination, boosting local economies through keeping money local, and cleaner air; and
WHEREAS, procuring local goods can save agencies and businesses money on transportation and shipping costs; and
WHEREAS, local foods are often harvested within 24 hours of purchase, foods shipped from other states or countries might take several days or longer to arrive at a retailer. Longer transport times can result in reduced nutrient levels, health benefits, and shelf life, as well as higher shipping costs and increased emissions; and
WHEREAS, a locally sourced food economy provides benefits to agriculture and aquaculture operations through preservation of farms, green space, and waterways; and
WHEREAS, according to a study conducted by Downs & St. Germain Research for the State of Delaware, 80% of respondents believed it was important to buy from local growers of produce, and a Gallup Group poll determined that 73% of Americans want their food grown locally; and
WHEREAS, several state agencies and Delaware businesses already procure food products from local producers
and can coordinate insights and best practices to expand procurement opportunities; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture has established and promotes the Delaware Grown brand, which is a
helpful tool for local producers at all levels to market their products to consumers throughout the state; and
WHEREAS, state agencies, as well as schools, early care, and summer programs procure a significant amount of
food products and can contribute valuable information about current local procurement levels, parameters of existing feeding programs and nutrition compliance standards, and the potential to increase buying power and relationships with Delaware producers; and
WHEREAS, starting in 2022, the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy and Delaware Cooperative
Extension SNAP-Education Program are working closely with retailers, community outlets, producers, agriculture organizations, and other food and agriculture partners to pilot two initiatives to increase the procurement of food products from Delaware producers and improve the availability of fresh, locally canned or frozen products in neighborhood outlets in all three counties; and
WHEREAS, producers in Delaware have an interest and can manage production to supply to local outlets across
the state and support efforts that bolster local processing capacities to increase year-round availability of nutrient-rich products. The State’s willingness to facilitate future purchases will support family farms, including the critical knowledge transfer from current producers to the next generation of producers so that food security in Delaware can be sustained; and
WHEREAS, local supply chains are critical for food security and support local reliability and resilience during
WHEREAS, local economies promote improved community relationships and cohesion.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of
Representatives concurring therein, encourages state agencies and entities, as well as businesses and companies that operate within the State, to ensure that data about the source of food items is assessed and that there is thoughtful consideration to increase the percentage of food items that are sourced from agriculture and aquaculture operations within the state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, no later than June 30, 2024, the Delaware Department of Agriculture, through the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy, will work together with the Delaware Farm to School Program Committee, state agencies, institutions of higher education, producers, and other food and agriculture partners to draft and submit a report to the Governor and all members of the General Assembly detailing the efforts underway toward supporting and expanding a locally sourced food economy in Delaware. The report shall include:
1. A summary of the Department of Agriculture’s initiatives through Delaware Grown and other
marketing campaigns, as well as farmers market programs to support Delaware producers.
2. A summary of existing procurement efforts; including food vendor agreements and bid requirements
across state agencies, schools, early care, and summer programs, institutions, restaurants, and other entities. This includes limitations or compliance procedures that prohibit state agencies from purchasing locally.
3. Information to be used to determine the current amount of local purchasing; potential timelines for re-
negotiations to increase local purchasing requirements and to detail existing procurement approaches, nutritional standards, processing limitations; and other equipment, staffing and supply chain logistics influencing local purchasing decisions.
4. A methodology to conduct surveys and gather data to determine a baseline of current local food
procurement across Delaware entities and insights about how supply chain logistics may be improved to sustain increased local procurement. This data can be used to inform future target setting.
5. A recommended target percentage for local food procurement that Delaware entities can strive to
achieve and Delaware producers can accommodate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a status update of any efforts must be submitted to the Governor and all members of the General Assembly by December 31, 2024.
