(1) This Commonwealth is a worldwide leader in agricultural production and food processing.

(2) Despite this Commonwealth's agricultural productivity, a significant number of Pennsylvanians continue to struggle with hunger and food insecurity and lack access to sufficient nutritious food.

(3) Hunger and food insecurity are harmful to the health and well-being of Pennsylvanians, especially children and seniors, and have a detrimental impact on urban, suburban and rural communities throughout this Commonwealth.

(4) Increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and other nutritious foods by Pennsylvanians living in low-income households can help reduce instances of diet-related illnesses and medical conditions, including obesity and diabetes, and lower health care costs.

(5) This Commonwealth is home to a network of regional food banks, food pantries and cupboards, soup kitchens and other private charitable food assistance providers with the capacity to safely and efficiently distribute food to people in need.

(6) This network of charitable food organizations has demonstrated the capacity to administer food distribution in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture as evidenced by the success of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the PASS pilot program.

(7) Pennsylvania's farmers, food packers and processors and Pennsylvanians who rely upon the network would derive mutual benefit from the establishment of a system linking the agricultural community with the food assistance network for the purpose of acquiring surplus and other agricultural products and distributing these products to Pennsylvania residents challenged by hunger and food insecurity.