Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) teamed with Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio to file legislation Tuesday that he says will benefit Georgia’s local farmers and the state’s military installations. Warnock says the Farm to Base Food Security Act will give the federal government a better understanding of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) food procurement policies and bolster relationships between local agricultural producers and military bases.
“Supplying our military installations with fresh agricultural products from local producers is a win-win for Georgia’s servicemembers, their families and our agricultural sector,” said Warnock, when announcing the legislation.
According to Warnock, the bill requires the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study detailing DoD’s current food procurement practices, as well as efforts by DoD to purchase local and regional agriculture products, and recommendations for increasing these purchases to strengthen the connection between farmers and military bases
“Despite our state’s position as a national military and agricultural leader, Georgia’s farmers have limited opportunities to sell locally-grown products to nearby military installations,” said Warnock.
According to Warnock, farmers in Georgia and across the nation have expressed an interest in new business opportunities for the development of local and regional markets – especially following COVID-19 supply chain disruptions
However, he said, despite the large number of military installations across the state, there is no federal program that specifically facilitates the purchase of local agriculture products for use on military bases.
“Additionally, information on DoD’s food procurement practices is very limited. The Farm to Base Food Security Act would examine DoD’s food procurement practices and find opportunities to strengthen the connection between Georgia’s farmers and military installations,” Warnock said. “This bill will strengthen the relationship between military installations and farmers.”
Warnock is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry.
