Section 2. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) This Commonwealth is a worldwide leader in
agricultural production and food processing.
(2) Despite this Commonwealth's agricultural
productivity, a significant number of Pennsylvanians continue
to struggle with hunger and food insecurity and lack access
to sufficient nutritious food.
(3) Hunger and food insecurity are harmful to the health
and well-being of Pennsylvanians, especially children and
seniors, and have a detrimental impact on urban, suburban and
rural communities throughout this Commonwealth.
(4) Increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and
vegetables and other nutritious foods by Pennsylvanians
living in low-income households can help reduce instances of
diet-related illnesses and medical conditions, including
obesity and diabetes, and lower health care costs.
(5) This Commonwealth is home to a network of regional
food banks, food pantries and cupboards, soup kitchens and
other private charitable food assistance providers with the
capacity to safely and efficiently distribute food to people
in need.
(6) This network of charitable food organizations has
demonstrated the capacity to administer food distribution in
collaboration with the Department of Agriculture as evidenced
by the success of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and
the PASS pilot program.
(7) Pennsylvania's farmers, food packers and processors
and Pennsylvanians who rely upon the network would derive
mutual benefit from the establishment of a system linking the
agricultural community with the food assistance network for
the purpose of acquiring surplus and other agricultural
products and distributing these products to Pennsylvania
residents challenged by hunger and food insecurity.