Senator Reverend Warnock led the introduction of bipartisan legislation to improve understanding of the Department of Defense’s food procurement policies and bolster efforts to facilitate relationships between local farmers and military installations

The Farm to Base Food Security Act would benefit Georgia’s local farmers and military installations

Senator Reverend Warnock: “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”

ICYMI: The 2022 NDAA contained many vital investments pushed by Senator Warnock to bolster Georgia’s central role in America’s military readiness

The son of a veteran, Senator Reverend Warnock has worked diligently to strengthen federal resources for active servicemembers, their families and veterans

As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, Senator Warnock has advocated for robust federal investments in Georgia’s farms and agricultural communities 

Washington, D.C. — Today, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced the Farm to Base Food Security Act, joined by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), bipartisan legislation that would help the federal government better understand the Department of Defense’s (DoD) food procurement policies and bolster relationships between local agricultural producers and military bases in Georgia. The newly-introduced 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 Senator Reverend Warnock.“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, so I’m glad I could partner with Sen. Rubio in a bipartisan fashion to introduce the Farm to Base Food Security Act.”

Following COVID-19 supply chain disruptions, farmers in Georgia and across the nation have expressed an interest in new business opportunities for the development of local and regional markets. 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. By strengthening the relationship between military installations and farmers, this bill will expand service members’ access to locally-grown, nutritious agricultural products.

Since being sworn into the United States Senate in January 2021, Senator Warnock has been a strong and committed advocate for strengthening federal investments and policies that benefit Georgia’s military installations, servicemembers, military families, agricultural producers, farms, and farmworkers.

Bill text can be found here.

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