SENATE MEMORIAL 29

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

A MEMORIAL

PROCLAIMING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013, AS "NEW MEXICO SCHOOL NUTRITION DAY" IN THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, school nutrition programs provided through the national school lunch program and school breakfast program have afforded millions of healthy and nutritious meals to school children throughout New Mexico for more than sixty years; and

     WHEREAS, the school nutrition programs serve nutritious, low-cost or free meals to students in New Mexico schools; and

     WHEREAS, school nutrition programs not only feed hungry children and support family well-being, they also act as "economic stabilizers" during economic downturns; and

     WHEREAS, many children consume at least half of their daily calories at school, and for many children, food served at school may be the only food they regularly eat; and

     WHEREAS, school nutrition programs play an important role in helping to ensure that every student in New Mexico starts school ready to learn; and

     WHEREAS, a well-fed and nourished child is an eager and attentive student; and

     WHEREAS, school nutrition programs in New Mexico have demonstrated a commitment to promote children's health, well-being and educational excellence, the primary goals of student success; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is ranked number one nationally in students participating in school breakfast programs and has been ranked number one five times within the last six years and has ranked in the top ten in the last ten years; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico public, private and bureau of Indian affairs school districts serve more than two hundred sixty-six thousand lunches and one hundred forty-five thousand breakfast meals each school day; and

     WHEREAS, currently more than fifty New Mexico farmers sell to fifty-three school districts serving two hundred thirty-four thousand school children fruits and vegetables grown in New Mexico, enhancing the diets and health of school children and helping to mitigate the childhood obesity trend; and

     WHEREAS, an investment in children's health will help stop the rise in childhood obesity in New Mexico, where thirty-two percent of children are overweight or obese; and

     WHEREAS, a healthier population will help to save New Mexico an additional three hundred twenty-four million dollars ($324,000,000) in obesity-related health care expenses and an additional one billion two hundred million dollars ($1,200,000,000) for diabetes-related health care expenses;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that New Mexico invest in its children, economy and New Mexico's future; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Wednesday, February 6, 2013, be declared "New Mexico School Nutrition Day" in the senate.

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