NH State Representative Steven Smith

The press makes money by getting your attention and holding it. Sometimes, this business model runs contrary to providing you all the boring facts. A good example was the hysteria surrounding our “draconian” budget cuts this past session. Consider the facts. The previous Legislature raised the size and cost of your state government by 25%. We enacted an 11% per cut. Over these past four years that averages to a 3.5% increase per year… hardly “end of the world” stuff. Yes, the cuts looked huge in this budget. However, just as New Hampshire families faced higher costs on everything including food and fuel, while their incomes remained the same or went down… should we not expect the government that you pay for to also find creative ways to do more with less? The government should still be able to fulfill all of its obligations with an average 3.5% increase per year. The next time you go to the store and pay more for milk and corn, pay more taxes, pay more for fuel… and still manage to feed your kids and pay the rent, remember to expect your government to do the same. It’s not draconian, it’s common sense and Yankee frugality.

Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program: Farm Fresh for Seniors

Concord,  NH  –  Starting in mid-July, the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), also called the NH Farm Fresh Delivery Program, will begin distributing  fresh  produce to more than 4,500 low-income seniors. Seniors are  enrolled  through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, or CSFP, at statewide  clinic sites in the State. CSFP is run by the Division of Public Health Services at the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Farm  Fresh  provides  seniors with a fresh, locally grown bundle of fruits and  vegetables  grown by more than 25 farmers in New Hampshire. The bundle has a value of about $18.00 and includes at least four different fruits and vegetables,  ranging from apples to zucchini. Fruits and vegetables will be distributed  to seniors through mid-September at more than 60 CSFP sites in New  Hampshire.  Seniors  will also receive recipe ideas and tips on how to prepare and store fresh fruits and vegetables.

CSFP  is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and currently reaches about  4,600 low-income seniors 60 years and older in New Hampshire. Income guidelines are up to:
$1,211 monthly for a senior living alone
$1,640 for a family of two seniors CSFP  provides  a  monthly food benefit that includes canned meats, fruits, vegetables,  cereal,  juice,  pasta, rice, and cheese, plus recipe ideas on how to use the foods in healthy recipes.

“Public  health  nutrition  programs  like  these provide healthy nutrition services  to  at-risk  low-income  seniors  who  may  have a difficult time finding  low-cost  nutritious  foods,”  said  Dr. José Montero, Director of Public  Health at DHHS. “By providing these foods and education to seniors, we  hope  to  prevent  the  onset  of  chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.”

Seniors 60 years and older who meet the income guidelines are encouraged to call the  Healthy  Eating  and  Physical  Activity  Section  of  DHHS  at:

1-800-942-4321

to  learn how to apply for CSFP and SFMNP services in their community. CSFP and SFMNP are equal opportunity programs.

It’s Independence Day.  When someone says, “Happy 4th of July”, please correct them.  Today, we celebrate a group of people who, in the face of great adversity and risking the wrath of a powerful country (England), decided that it was better to stand by your principles than to protect your fortune.  It’s hard to have a frame of reference now, but try to remember that back then, you could be killed and have your family ruined just for signing a piece of paper.  From those humble beginnings, long ago, we grew to become the greatest nation on earth.  Yesterday, we went to the Smithsonian and saw the Star Spangled Banner.  This is the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812.  I realize that it is just cloth, but to actually see the flag that inspired our National Anthem is a humbling experience.  Today, we’ll go sit on the Capitol steps and watch the fireworks.  We are very lucky to be Americans and to be this free.  Happy Independence Day.  As you enjoy today’s festivities, and barbecue, and fireworks… take every opportunity to remember and celebrate the courage and sacrifice of those who decided to be free 236 years ago when they said “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”