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Josephs to continue influence on Agriculture Committee

HARRISBURG, Feb. 2 -- State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., has been appointed to serve on the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

Josephs, who also serves as chairwoman of the House State Government Committee, has been a member of the Agriculture Committee for the last several sessions, a position that she values because of the importance agriculture has in Philadelphia.

"Agriculture has a great impact on our city, from our numerous eating establishments, to the nutrition it supplies to our schools, our year-round farmers' markets and even our economy through our shipping industry," Josephs said.

"Philadelphians consume the most food than any other county in the state; the city is home to the largest agriculture high school in the country and $1.5 million worth of food is produced in urban gardens. There's no doubt of agriculture's importance to the city."

During the last session, Josephs also was instrumental in the enactment of two agriculture-related grant programs.

With the first, a new grant program will encourage the development and expansion of farmers' markets across the state, especially in underserved areas. Beginning in July, applicants may apply for up to $10,000 in grants.

"The idea for this program germinated during a tour of Philadelphia that I hosted to showcase the importance of agriculture in the city," Josephs said.

The second grant program is designed to help educate young children and their caregivers about healthy eating habits while opening additional market opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers. Up to $15,000 will be available for schools with kindergarten programs to incorporate agriculture education into the curriculum.

"Childhood obesity is a growing problem -- approximately 9 million children older than 6 suffer from obesity," she said. "With that comes additional health problems. This new program will help children choose healthy foods over foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt; help parents find practical ways to encourage their children to make healthier choices; and support local farming."

Josephs said the divide between Philadelphia and the rest of the state is well known, and she is doing her part to link the Commonwealth by reminding farmers how much their product is valued by urban residents.