THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY ROHRER, HANNA, ARGALL, BAKER, BARRAR, BEAR, BELFANTI, BEYER, BOBACK, BOYD, BRENNAN, BROOKS, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, COX, CUTLER, DALEY, DAY, DELOZIER, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FREEMAN, GABLER, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHART, HARKINS, HARPER, HARRIS, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HOUGHTON, HUTCHINSON, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KESSLER, KILLION, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, KOTIK, KRIEGER, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McCALL, McILVAINE SMITH, MELIO, MENSCH, METCALFE, METZGAR, MILLARD, MOUL, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PEIFER, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WALKO AND YUDICHAK, MARCH 13, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 13, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Declaring the week of March 20 through March 26, 2009, as

"Family Farm Week" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Since the charter of William Penn from King Charles

II in 1681, the family farm has been the backbone of this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The sustenance form of farming has provided a large

percentage of the food consumed by the citizens of this

Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Family and sustenance farms deliver an important

security component to this Commonwealth, since, in the case of

any disaster, these farms will be able to provide food for many

citizens; and

WHEREAS, Many family farms have, in the past generation, been

absorbed into corporate farming, or the land has otherwise been

lost to housing and other developments; and

WHEREAS, The lifestyles of the families who operate

sustenance farms have been threatened by both corporate

interests and government regulation, thereby making family

farming a seemingly less desirable lifestyle; and

WHEREAS, Financial lending and other burdens on family farms

represent a source of additional detriment when national

economic stability, taxation and other factors combine to

confiscate the property used for family farming; and

WHEREAS, The family and small farms of this Commonwealth

provide many residual benefits to wildlife, including unused

food and safe harbors during harsh winter months, thereby

improving the overall scope of our natural resources; and

WHEREAS, This Commonwealth's farm produce is exported to

virtually every state in this nation and to many other nations

worldwide; and

WHEREAS, The United States and the world will be impacted

detrimentally should the family farms of this Commonwealth in

any way fail or falter; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare its

intention to protect the family farm by legislative policy and

designate the week of March 20 through March 26, 2009, as

"Family Farm Week" in Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That during this week, all public schools in this

Commonwealth be encouraged to dedicate at least one hour of

class time per day to studying the impact, principles and

practices of family farming and how it has helped to shape the

heritage of freedom and property rights, both internally and in

relationships with sister states; and be it further

RESOLVED, That during this week, all parents be encouraged to

take their school children on field trips to engage in

extracurricular activities at family farms in this Commonwealth.