Title: Recognizing the important role Victory Gardens played in America's World War efforts and reaffirming their purpose as essential to strengthening food security, health education, and community morale during the 2020 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
This resolution recognizes (1) the importance of the health consciousness, food security, and community morale that is spurred by planting of Victory Gardens; and (2) that the Department of Agriculture should collaborate with the House of Representatives to encourage citizens to plant Victory Gardens and to supply seeds, preserving materials, and manuals to help citizens grow and preserve crops from their Victory Gardens during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) crisis.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 937 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 937

  Recognizing the important role Victory Gardens played in America's 
    World War efforts and reaffirming their purpose as essential to 
  strengthening food security, health education, and community morale 
         during the 2020 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 22, 2020

 Ms. Kaptur (for herself and Mr. Fortenberry) submitted the following 
     resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the important role Victory Gardens played in America's 
    World War efforts and reaffirming their purpose as essential to 
  strengthening food security, health education, and community morale 
         during the 2020 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

Whereas during World War I and World War II, the Victory Garden campaign called 
        on Americans to plant vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens in whatever 
        space they had available to implement a valuable and self-sufficient 
        means to prevent potential food shortages;
Whereas so many patriotic Americans participated in the movement during WWII, it 
        is estimated that home, school, and community gardeners produced close 
        to 40 percent of the Nation's fresh vegetables from 20 million gardens;
Whereas the forces at work in the global Coronavirus pandemic disrupt global 
        food supply chains and leave American consumers vulnerable, many 
        individuals are hindered from accessing even local food resources such 
        as farmers' markets, State fairs, and other community supported 
        agriculture, due to social distancing guidelines;
Whereas Americans have been asked to follow social distancing guidelines and 
        shelter in their homes to flatten the curve in the COVID-19 crisis;
Whereas many will find the extra time at home provides a ripe opportunity for 
        engagement in gardening as a hobby, as a food source, and as a means to 
        promote stable physical and mental health;
Whereas existing community gardens are investments in neighborhood 
        revitalization, provide local sources of produce, and most importantly 
        help restore fresh foods to underserved food desert communities, while 
        inspiring and teaching children to gain a tangible appreciation for the 
        power of nature to sustain life and improve health outcomes through 
        gardening;
Whereas spring 2020 has already seen significant increased demand at garden 
        stores, centers, and suppliers;
Whereas supporting the growth of healthy and fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs 
        at home, through our education systems, in community gardens, and 
        through all health care providers can play a fundamental role to amplify 
        the benefits of healthy food options as nature's best medicine and help 
        citizens improve overall health, ultimately reducing cases of type 2 
        diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and pulmonary diseases each of 
        which has an increased mortality rate among COVID-19 patients;
Whereas increased access to local healthy food options builds resiliency in 
        individuals and communities; and
Whereas promoting Victory Gardens can improve citizen morale during this 
        harrowing global experience by rallying citizens to a healthy, 
        productive, and patriotic activity which can benefit whole communities: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the importance of the health consciousness, 
        food security, and community morale that is spurred by planting 
        of Victory Gardens; and
            (2) recognizes that the Secretary of Agriculture should 
        collaborate with the House of Representatives--
                    (A) to encourage citizens to plant Victory Gardens 
                for the benefit of their families, communities, and 
                country; and
                    (B) to supply seeds, preserving materials, and 
                manuals to help citizens grow and preserve crops from 
                their Victory Gardens during the COVID-19 crisis.
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