Testimony of Roger Johnson
Agriculture Commissioner
Senate concurrent Resolution 4018
Senate Industry, Business, and Labor Committee
February 11, 2003

Chairman Mutch and members of the Senate Industry, Business, and Labor Committee, I am Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. I am here today in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 4018 urging all publicly supported entities having food acquisition functions to support North Dakota producers and processors through the purchase of food products grown or produced and processed in North Dakota.

We need to urge our public entities to make decisions that can really help spur our economy. In March, with the help and cooperation of the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of Agriculture initiated the first annual Pride of Dakota School Lunch Day in North Dakota. The purpose of the event was to encourage North Dakota school lunch administrators to purchase North Dakota produced and/or processed food product for the menu for that day. While this special day was one of many activities to promote March as Pride of Dakota Month in the state, the Department also encouraged food companies who are not members of Pride of Dakota to participate as well. It was a great success, with over 250 schools totaling 59,000 plus kids participating.

The Department of Public Instruction provided sample menus and we worked with North Dakota companies and the five major food distributors to North Dakota schools. We wanted to use this day to remind every one of the emerging food industry in our state. The North Dakota Food Processors Association endorsed the activity and encouraged their members to participate.

One of the most important aspects of the event was to instill to the food administrators in the various schools that they can play a very important role in the economic activity of our state. The purchasing power they have has a tremendous impact on the economy of the state.

Following last year's School Lunch Day, the Department of Agriculture had a booth at the annual North Dakota School Lunch Administrators Trade Show held in Minot in August. Again the Department tried to encourage everyone to purchase North Dakota products. We prepared a brochure of Pride of Dakota companies that are currently selling to school or who want to get into the school lunch market.

The second annual school lunch day will be held on March 25th and as of this date we have 77,237 kids signed up to eat North Dakota products. We have a lot of unique activities planned that will help tell the story of the food industry of our state. We hope this event will continue to encourage North Dakota School Lunch Administrators to purchase North Dakota products. We have also made a special appeal to the five primary food distributors to North Dakota schools to emphasize the products they sell that are from our state.

Chairman Mutch and Committee members, I urge a "do pass" on Senate Concurrent Resolution 4018. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.