FROMMEYER JOINT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING KENTUCKY AS FOOD IS MEDICINE STATE SERVED UP TO HOUSE HEALTH SERVICES COMMITTEE

FROMMEYER JOINT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING KENTUCKY AS FOOD IS MEDICINE STATE SERVED UP 

TO HOUSE HEALTH SERVICES COMMITTEE

Nationally recognized approach is leading Kentucky to healthier lives and driving a more robust rural economy

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 27, 2026) — Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, successfully testified before the House Health Services Committee on Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 23, groundbreaking legislation declaring Kentucky’s commitment to a “Food Is Medicine” strategy that strengthens both patient health and rural economies yesterday.

SJR 23 is the first Food Is Medicine resolution of its kind in the nation. While other states have pursued program-specific legislation focused largely on Medicaid waivers, Kentucky’s approach is a statewide declaration aligning policy, education and innovation around the role of nutrition and local agriculture in improving health outcomes.

Kentucky’s Food Is Medicine initiative brings together the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association to create impact across industries. The initiative is designed to encourage and enable private-sector partnership in community health, workforce wellness and chronic disease management by addressing the root causes of diet-related risk factors.

“Our strategy is about educating the commonwealth on what Food Is Medicine means and how it’s already working in Kentucky,” Frommeyer said. “By using local food as a primary health intervention, we can improve patient outcomes while promoting rural prosperity.”

The resolution positions Kentucky to follow the newest federal guidance as a best-in-class, forward-leaning leader aligned with agriculture and health care. The goal is straightforward: better health outcomes through evidence-based clinical nutrition guidance paired with agricultural economic development that drives rural prosperity.

SJR 23 is a direct result of the work of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Kentucky Task Force that met in the 2025 Interim.  

Kentucky’s model was featured as an example for federal duplication in the America First Policy Institute’s “Driving Responsible Nutrition Policy” paper released in May 2025 and has inspired similar conversations in neighboring West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio.

“We were so pleased to learn about the successful passage of the Kentucky Food is Medicine resolution,” said Martin Tull of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. “It stands as a unique act of leadership to help unify local food conversations with the health care innovation work underway.”

Frommeyer said the resolution ensures Kentucky remains proactive as federal agencies continue advancing nutrition-focused health strategies.

“This is about leading, not following,” she said. “Kentucky is demonstrating that agriculture and health care are not separate conversations but together, they are a powerful strategy for healthier families and stronger rural communities.”