Pickle Bill Seeks to Preserve West Virginia’s Culinary Art – and Economy – of Canning

This legislative session the West Virginia Food & Farm Coalition (WVFFC) is advocating for three bills that support access to local, healthy foods for struggling West Virginians, employees and clients of state agencies, and increased market opportunities for small-scale West Virginia farmers.

These bills were chosen by WVFFC working group members and other local food advocates during the coalition’s spring advocacy training. Coalition supporters are advocating for these policies by meeting with and contacting legislators during this year’s legislative session.

Here’s an update on where those bills are at.

Farm to Food Bank Bill

• What does the proposed bill do?

Senate Bill 399 supports nonprofits and food banks to collect and distribute food grown in West Virginia and provides a tax credit for farmers and gardeners based on the donated food’s fair market value, with a cap of $2,500.

• Why do we need this bill?

West Virginia has the third highest food insecurity rate in the nation, with 22 percent of West Virginians struggling to afford enough nutritious food for themselves or their families.

At the same time, 40 percent of America’s food supply ends up wasted, and healthy food goes unharvested or unsold, often ending up in landfills or compost piles. Increasing recovery of this wholesome food could simultaneously provide healthy food to people in need, benefit local farms and businesses, and reduce the amount of food waste.

This type of tax incentive is useful because there are barriers to getting fresh food into foodbanks – most immediately the transport costs that farmers bear to move their produce to centralized food donation sites.

• Where is the bill in the legislative process?

The bill was on agenda of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Monday, February 1, but the committee ran out of time before they could discuss it. When it’s put on the Ag Committee agenda again, and if it passes, it will be second referenced to the Finance Committee. It has to be put on the agenda of that committee, pass, and then it will be sent to the Senate floor.

 

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Farm to Institution (Procurement Preference for Local Food)

• What does the proposed bill do?

Senate Bill 390, sponsored by Agriculture Committee Chairman Senator Robert Karnes, provides for bidding preferences for local farm vendors in West Virginia with the goal at least 15 percent of procurement sourced from West Virginia farm vendors by 2025.

The bill expands preferential bidding in state purchasing to include resident farm vendors, in addition to resident veteran vendors, nonresident vendors who employ 100 or more state residents, and other special groups.

• Where is the SB 390 in the legislative process?

SB 390 is single-referenced to the Senate Government Organization Committee and needs to be put on the committee’s agenda so it can move to the Senate floor.

Cottage Foods Bill (the Pickle Bill)

• What does the proposed bill do?

Senate Bill 434 will allow canned items to be sold at farmers markets, farm stands, consignment farmers markets, online farmers markets, fairs, and festivals.

• Why do we need this bill?

Farmers markets in West Virginia account for an estimated $9 million in direct sales, and are a steady source of income for many small farmers, as well as a vital part of many communities in the state.

In some rural communities plagued by food deserts, farmers markets serve as the single avenue to access fresh food. With micro-processing sales opportunities enabling farmers to preserve produce, not only will farmers derive a source of year-round income and eliminate food waste, but consumers can access vegetables throughout the year and we can all “preserve” the culinary art of canning that is vital to West Virginia culture.

• Where is the Pickle Bill in the legislative process?

The Pickle Bill was on Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee agenda on Monday, February 8, but held over for more discussion, so it will be on the agenda again the week of February 15.