Rep. Hansen offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 28.

A resolution recognizing September 13, 2007, as Buy Fresh, Buy Local, Select Michigan Day.

Whereas, The Michigan Department of Agriculture introduced the Select Michigan campaign in the Grand Rapids area to encourage Michigan residents to purchase locally grown and produced foods. Recently expanded to the Detroit area, the program uses posters, banners, and stickers in Michigan grocery stores and farmers' markets to identify locally grown food products. Since 2001, the Select Michigan program has highlighted the numerous Michigan-grown products available in the state, including apples, asparagus, blueberries, cherries, chestnuts, corn, dry beans, honey, maple syrup, peaches, and strawberries; and

Whereas, Access to fresh and nutritious food products is vital to the health and well-being of Michigan residents. Michigan farms, which are second in the nation in the diversity of agricultural products grown, provide residents with a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables.  Identifying and marketing these products to the local population enables residents to support Michigan's agricultural industry, which contributes significantly to Michigan's economic well-being.  The impact of Michigan’s agriculture on our economy is estimated to be $60.1 billion annually and growing; and

Whereas, This special day sponsored by the Michigan Integrated Food & Farming Systems and the Michigan Department of Agriculture will be set aside in September to celebrate the diversity of Michigan’s agriculture; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare September 13, 2007, as Buy Fresh, Buy Local, Select Michigan Day.  We encourage all Michigan citizens to “Buy Fresh and Buy Local” to support and preserve Michigan’s agricultural heritage.