By Hinojosa                                            H.R. No. 593
         76R10778 JBR-F                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
 1-2     (called the Expanded Nutrition Program in Texas) was initiated in
 1-3     1968 by the United States Department of Agriculture, with pilot
 1-4     programs starting in 1969 and federal funding beginning in 1970
 1-5     under the Smith-Lever Act; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Administered by the Texas Agricultural Extension
 1-7     Service, this program was created to help families and youth with
 1-8     limited resources acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and
 1-9     behaviors necessary for nutritionally sound eating habits and to
1-10     contribute to their personal development and the improvement of
1-11     total family food and nutritional status; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Located in nine Texas counties, including Bexar,
1-13     Cameron, Dallas, El Paso, Harris, Hidalgo, Nueces, Tarrant, and
1-14     Travis, this program served over 26,000 adult participants and
1-15     38,000 youth participants during fiscal year 1997-1998; and
1-16           WHEREAS, The Expanded Nutrition Program targets adults with
1-17     limited resources who are responsible for planning and preparing
1-18     the family's food, with an emphasis on households with young
1-19     children and youth of 4-H age who have limited resources; and
1-20           WHEREAS, The program has helped adult and youth participants
1-21     to increase their knowledge and skill in basic nutrition, managing
1-22     a food budget, food safety, and food preparation and to improve
1-23     their selection of nutritious and economical foods; and
1-24           WHEREAS, For every dollar spent in the Expanded Nutrition
 2-1     Program, $10 is saved in health care costs, which translates into
 2-2     $40 million a year for Texas; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Extension agents in this program recruit and train
 2-4     paraprofessional staff from the large population it serves, and the
 2-5     shared background and experiences of staff and clients add to the
 2-6     success of this exemplary endeavor; now, therefore be it
 2-7           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
 2-8     Legislature hereby commend the Expanded Nutrition Program of the
 2-9     Texas Agricultural Extension Service on its 30th anniversary and
2-10     recognize the many extension agents, staff, and program
2-11     participants who have learned from and worked to make the program a
2-12     success; and, be it further
2-13           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-14     prepared  for the administration of the Texas Agricultural
2-15     Extension Service, The Texas A&M University System, and the
2-16     Expanded Nutrition Program as an expression of high regard by the
2-17     Texas House of Representatives.