R 254

2017 -- S 0908 Enacted 05/17/2017

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING AGRICULTURE DAY AND NATIONAL AGRICULTURE WEEK IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Ruggerio, Algiere, Lombardi, and Archambault

Date Introduced: May 17, 2017

WHEREAS, The basis of the American economy at its founding, and for many years

thereafter, was rooted in an agrarian society, an important legacy for Americans to remember; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture as an industry has actively pursued new methods and

technologies which not only increase productivity, but also conserve natural resources.

Agriculture contributes to environmentally friendly efforts by producing crops suitable for

making biodegradable plastics, by recycling chemical containers, feed bags and food by-products;

and

WHEREAS, The first Agriculture Day was celebrated in 2001, making this year the 16th

annual Agriculture Day in Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is home to 1,243 farms, an increase of 44 percent since 2002,

and nearly 70,000 acres in our state are currently devoted to farmland. However, according to the

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the state has lost 80 percent of

its farmland since 1940, more than anywhere else in the nation over the same period of time; and

WHEREAS, The top agricultural commodities in the state are greenhouse and nursery

products, dairy products, sweet corn, aquaculture (seafood), and apples; and

WHEREAS, According to the federal Census of Agriculture, Rhode Island has the

highest percentage of beginning farmers in the nation. Beginning farmers are estimated to make

up over 31 percent of all principal farm operators in our state, compared to 25 percent in 2007;

and

WHEREAS, In 2002, the average farm size was 56 acres and the median farm size was

24 acres. Today, the number of farms with less than 9 acres has increased and accounts for 35

percent of all farms, while the number of farms with between 10 and 49 acres and between 50 and

179 acres has decreased, and the number of farms with 180 acres or more has increased; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture is a way of life for many Americans and Rhode Islanders.

Currently, women principal farm operators account for 25 percent of the principal farm operators,

up from 24 percent in 2007, and the average age of the principal operator of a Rhode Island farm

was 56.3 years in 2007, and 56.7 years in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island ranks 3rd with 30.2 percent in a study of Direct Market Sales

for farms in New England States, and 2nd with 10.5 percent in a ranking of Direct Market Sales as

a percent of farm sales; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture Day and National Agriculture Week provides an opportunity to

highlight the role agriculture plays in supplying safe, abundant and affordable produce and

products; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby celebrates Agriculture Day and National Agriculture Week in our State. We moreover

thank the women and men of agriculture who dedicate themselves to providing for all Americans

the most affordable food and fiber supply in the world; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Janet Coit, Director Rhode Island Department

of Environmental Management.

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LC002724

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