Bipartisan Representatives commit to strengthening global food security through World Food Day resolution
15 October 2021, Washington, DC - U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), and Jim McGovern (D-MA), introduced H.Res. 703 to recognize World Food Day. The two-year resolution designates October 16, 2021, and 2022 as 'World Food Day,' and encourages the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. The resolution was also cosponsored by Representatives David Scott (D -Ga.), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Jimmy Panetta (D - Calif.), and Dina Titus (D-Nev.)
Each year, the United States joins the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in celebrating World Food Day to promote global awareness and action for all who suffer from hunger, to promote healthy diets, and build better agri-food systems. World Food Day also commemorates the founding of FAO on October 16, 1945. In 2020, 811 million people suffered from hunger and 3 billion people could not afford healthy diets. The World Food Day resolution is both a recognition of these coinciding issues and a call to action to continue the important work of building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems.
“Hunger and malnutrition rates have been on the rise for years, and the pandemic has significantly exacerbated this problem here in the U.S. and around the world. Food security is a human right, and we must fight to increase access to healthy food, reduce food waste, and acknowledge the scale of the problem. That’s why I’ve introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate October 16th as World Food Day,” said Congresswoman Pingree (D-Maine). “The United States has a critical role in the global fight against hunger and I hope this resolution will inspire my colleagues in Congress to support programs and policies that strengthen food security around the globe.”
“This resolution reaffirms that America must lead the world in the struggle against hunger and malnutrition,” said Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA). “We live in a world of plenty where local knowledge coupled with scientific advances make it possible for us to produce plenty of healthy food for everyone. Yet the harsh reality is that close to a billion people around the world are impacted by hunger, and the pandemic has made things even worse. Programs like the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program, Feed the Future, Food for Peace, the Maternal and Child Nutrition Program, Food for Progress, and our own hunger safety net here at home are key to ending hunger. But now is the time to redouble our efforts to find new, innovative ways to solve this problem. Food is a fundamental human right for all people, and we have a moral obligation to act.”
"FAO North America appreciates the United States' longstanding and consistent leadership in addressing global hunger and building resilience in global agri-food systems,” said Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of FAO Liaison Office for North America. “World Food Day and these resolutions highlight the challenges and solutions associated with the establishment of more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable agri-food systems. These collective efforts are a step towards ensuring a food-secure world where no one is left behind."
The full text of the resolution can be found here.
To learn more about what you can do to promote healthy diets for a hunger-free world and celebrate World Food Day, please visit http://www.fao.org/world-food-day.