ENROLLED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 205
BY REPRESENTATIVES WOODRUFF, ADAMS, BARROW, BILLIOT, WESLEY
BISHOP, BURRELL, COX, DOVE, HUNTER, AND PYLANT
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To create a task force to study and identify food deserts in communities where people travel
an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of grocery
stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a food
desert as any census district that has a poverty rate of at least 20 percent (or the median
family income is less than 80 percent of the statewide average) and at least five hundred
people or 33 percent of the population lives over one mile, in urban areas, or ten miles, in
rural areas, from the nearest grocery store or supermarket; and
WHEREAS, approximately one million people in Louisiana live in a food desert, in
both rural and urban areas; and
WHEREAS, food deserts are one of the main contributing factors to the obesity
epidemic in the United States, by forcing struggling families to rely on processed and fast
food instead of fresh vegetables, fruit, and proteins; and
WHEREAS, the adult obesity rate for African-Americans in Louisiana is 41.9
percent, for Latino Americans is 32.6 percent, and for White Americans is 30.4 percent; and
WHEREAS, African-American children are more likely to become obese than White
children according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and
WHEREAS, food deserts frequently exist due to economic stagnation and
disinvestment; and
WHEREAS, food deserts have a direct correlation with the relatively high percentage
of obesity, diabetes, and overweight citizens in these metropolitan areas of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the percentage of overweight adults in the metropolitan areas of
Louisiana are 42.7 percent for Alexandria, 31.5 percent for Baton Rouge, 34.6 percent for
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Hammond, 32.7 percent for Houma-Thibodaux, 34 percent for Lafayette, 31.3 percent for
Lake Charles, 35.7 percent for Monroe, 33.6 percent for New Orleans, and 39.3 percent for
Shreveport-Bossier City; and
WHEREAS, adult obesity rates in the metropolitan areas of Louisiana are 27.1
percent for Alexandria, 34.8 percent for Baton Rouge, 45.4 percent for Hammond, 42.6
percent for Houma-Thibodaux, 30.9 percent for Lafayette, 34.1 percent for Lake Charles,
29.8 percent for Monroe, 30.2 percent for New Orleans, and 33.6 percent for Shreveport-
Bossier City; and
WHEREAS, diabetes rates in the metropolitan areas of Louisiana are 12.4 percent
for Alexandria, 11.9 percent for Baton Rouge, 7.9 percent for Hammond, 11.5 percent for
Houma-Thibodaux, 9.6 percent for Lafayette, 8.8 percent for Lake Charles, 15.9 percent for
Monroe, 11.9 percent for New Orleans, and 10.9 percent for Shreveport-Bossier City.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
create a task force to identify and study the impact of food deserts in communities where
people travel an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of
grocery stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
following members:
(1) Two representatives of the Department of Health and Hospitals, designated by
the secretary of the department.
(2) Two representatives of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, designated
by the executive director of the center.
(3) Two representatives of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, School of Public Health, designated by the chancellor of the university.
(4) Two representatives of the Tulane University School of Public Health and
Tropical Medicine, designated by the chancellor of the university.
(5) Two representatives of the Southern University and A&M College Agricultural
Research and Extension Center, designated by the chancellor of the university.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit their findings to the
House and Senate committees on health and welfare and the Department of Health and
Hospitals no later than June 30, 2016.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this task force will be staffed by the House
Committee on Health and Welfare for all meetings of the task force.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana calls for access to
healthy, fresh, and affordable food in these rural and urban areas to improve overall health
by combating obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other health-related problems that
can be aided by a healthy diet.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution reaffirms the Louisiana
Legislature's commitment to wellness policies, relative to mind, body, and spirit, that
incentivize and encourage the establishment of supermarkets and farmers' markets, as well
as affordable, fresh, and healthy food options in local stores and restaurants within
communities lacking access.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana supports policy
solutions encouraging grocers and other store owners to sell healthy food options in under
served communities, including food trusts and programs to help small stores carry fresh food
for purchase.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana urges the United
States Department of Agriculture, congress, state legislators, local officials, agencies, and
nonprofits to work together for the elimination of food deserts in the communities where
people travel an unreasonable distance to buy fresh produce and proteins as a result of
grocery stores and affordable fresh food disappearing from their communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana applauds and
supports the expanded use of electronic benefits cards at farmers' markets and urges local
growers to allow the use of electronic benefits cards whenever possible.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana applauds the
actions already taken and urges congress to increase allocations to the Healthy Food
Financing Initiative, a collaborative effort of the United States Department of Agriculture,
the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States
Department of the Treasury which brings grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to
underserved urban and rural communities across America.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
governor of Louisiana, the president of the Louisiana State Senate, the speaker of the
Louisiana House of Representatives, and other state government officials as appropriate.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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