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Food System Resiliency Council bill clarifies terms, extends planning duty; agencies signal support
Summary
Delegate Lori Charcuti’s bill would update definitions (e.g., ‘wasted food’ and ‘healthy food priority areas’) and shift the council toward ongoing strategic work rather than a one-time plan; departmental witnesses said they support the amendment to align reporting with existing program responsibilities.
House Bill 9 would revise the statute establishing the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council to modernize terminology and change the council’s reporting and strategic-planning duties to a continuing process.
Delegate Lori Charcuti told the committee the bill replaces the term “food desert” with “healthy food priority areas” and adopts “wasted food” language to reflect federal usage and to capture food that could be rescued or repurposed. The bill also changes a one-time strategic-plan requirement into ongoing planning and reporting and adds several subjects the council should examine.
Dr. Stephanie Lansing, vice chair of the council and a university environmental-science professor, said the changes align the statute with the council’s active, ongoing work and with federal terminology used by agencies such as EPA and MDE. Anna Sierra of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management said the council operates as an advisory body and the amendment shifts policy-area reporting under existing reporting requirements rather than creating an operational strategic plan that the advisory council would execute directly.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture also signaled support, noting existing programs that align with council recommendations and reporting.
Ending — Committee action: The hearing was informational; supporters asked for a favorable report and agencies said they would coordinate on the revised reporting approach.
