Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District

January 29, 2026

Expanding Access to Fresh, Local Food in Schools

A new proposal to make positive impacts in the realms of education, agriculture and health drew support from both sides of the political aisle.

Since the 2000s, Farm-to-Table programs have increased in popularity to emphasize that when locally produced foods make their way directly from farms to restaurants, the benefits are three-fold.

Local farmers experience increased, steadier demand while restaurants can market to diners that ingredients are locally sourced, providing a fresher and more flavorful product. Diners benefit from enjoying a meal that does not include many of the chemicals used to preserve food for shipping. What may have started as a trend has become a norm for many popular restaurants.

House Bill 1768 extends this same concept to Pennsylvania’s students by establishing the Keystone Fresh Farm to School Nutrition Act.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's 2019 Farm to School Census, more than 57% of Pennsylvania schools do purchase some products grown or produced here in the Commonwealth. However, local food sales, excluding liquid milk, only accounted for 8% of their total lunch program budget.

When students consume processed foods, their academic performance suffers, according to a 2025 study called Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities. Notably, students who frequently consumed sweets, fried foods, beverages and fast foods were specifically linked to poor grades.

The Pennsylvania farming industry is an obvious place to find solutions.

The Commonwealth’s more than 49,000 farms and related industries contribute to more than $130 billion, or about 18%, of Pennsylvania’s economy. The industry involves more than a half-million workers, including 280,500 direct jobs.

House Bill 1768 proposes to create different grant programs. The first would be available to schools to purchase locally sourced foods. Another grant would be available to participating farms and food hubs and local food aggregators with funding to be used for the equipment and marketing needed to participate in the program.

I believe these to be worthwhile investments. Research shows that for every $1 spent on local food purchasing initiatives, $1.40 circulates back into local economies.

The bipartisan, nearly unanimous passage of the bill in December was timely, considering the new federal dietary guidelines released earlier this month. The new standards emphasize the consumption of protein, dairy and vegetables over grains and sugars, as well as limiting processed foods.

House Bill 1768 has been referred to the Pennsylvania Senate.

Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.

Your Opinion Counts - Concern continues to rise from parents and educators that students’ use of cell phones has become a serious distraction from learning. Different approaches to address the issue have been discussed in the General Assembly and I have created a survey for those 18 years of age or older to weigh in. You can find the survey on my website, RepJillCooper.com. 

Heating Assistance Program Available
If bitter cold temperatures have left you struggling with your home heating bills, help may be available through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps individuals and families pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants. It also provides crisis grants to help in the event of an emergency or if a resident is in danger of losing his or her heat due to broken equipment, lack of fuel or termination of utility service.

To qualify for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, you must meet income requirements, which are set based on your household size. For example, the maximum annual income for an individual is $23,475 and for a family of four it is $48,225. For each additional person, add $8,250 to the income limit.

Residents may apply for LIHEAP online at dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS, by phone at 1-866-857-7095 or by contacting the Westmoreland County Assistance Office at 724-832-5524. The program runs through April 10.