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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Food insecurity and inadequate nutrition are |
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growing problems among families living in Texas border colonias; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In a recent study of Rio Grande Valley families, 80 |
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percent of mothers reported household food insecurity, and 64 |
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percent of children experienced food insecurity; these rates are |
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higher than national rates, reflecting the region's poverty, lower |
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levels of education, and average household size; and |
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WHEREAS, Children who are not well nourished are at a greater |
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risk of negative behavioral, social, academic, and health outcomes; |
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although school-based nutrition programs help, they may not be able |
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to completely address children's needs; and |
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WHEREAS, Poor nutrition is a factor in diabetes and obesity, |
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and these conditions cost the region hundreds of millions of |
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dollars; underlying diabetes is present in over half of area |
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hospital admissions for serious conditions, and the cost in lost |
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wages alone has been calculated at $227 million a year; and |
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WHEREAS, The Food, Nutrition, and Conservation Act of 2008 |
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authorized $20 million for the Healthy Incentives Pilot; this |
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project investigates the impact of making fruits and vegetables |
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more affordable for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition |
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Assistance Program; under HIP, beneficiaries earn a bonus of 30 |
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cents for every SNAP dollar they spend on healthy fruits and |
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vegetables at participating retailers; interim results indicate |
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that consumption of fruits and vegetables increases significantly |
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through the use of these incentives, and participants purchase a |
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greater variety of produce items as well; and |
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WHEREAS, Federal nutrition assistance programs administered |
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by the USDA are powerful tools to promote well-being; many |
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residents of the Rio Grande Valley are SNAP recipients, and the |
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implementation of HIP could play an important role in improving |
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nutrition and reducing obesity, diabetes, and related maladies in |
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the region; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Department of |
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Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to select the Rio Grande |
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Valley region as the next expansion site for the Healthy Incentives |
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Pilot program; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the U.S. secretary of |
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agriculture. |