House File 2459 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  MASCHER


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing for an annual report regarding the purchase of
  2    locally and regionally produced or processed food by schools
  3    under the farm=to=school program.
  4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  5 TLSB 6220HH 82
  6 da/nh/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  190A.5  REPORT.
  1  2    The farm=to=school council shall prepare a farm=to=school
  1  3 report for submission to the governor and general assembly by
  1  4 January 15 of each year.
  1  5    1.  The department of agriculture and land stewardship in
  1  6 cooperation with the department of education shall assist the
  1  7 council in preparing the report.
  1  8    2.  The report shall evaluate the success of the
  1  9 farm=to=school program in achieving the program's purpose as
  1 10 provided in section 190A.1 and grade how it has accomplished
  1 11 the program's goals as provided in section 190A.3.  The report
  1 12 shall include at least all of the following:
  1 13    a.  The extent to which farmers and schools are
  1 14 participating in the program on a regional basis.
  1 15    b.  The extent to which public agencies and nonprofit
  1 16 organizations are partnering with the council to facilitate
  1 17 communication between farmers and schools, and contributions
  1 18 have been received to support the program.
  1 19    c.  The council's plans to improve and expand the program.
  1 20    d.  Any recommendations by the council to improve or expand
  1 21 the program, including but not limited to legislative
  1 22 proposals.
  1 23                           EXPLANATION
  1 24    This bill amends Code chapter 190A as enacted in 2007 by
  1 25 the general assembly (2007 Acts, ch. 215, sections 93=96) to
  1 26 encourage and promote the purchase of locally and regionally
  1 27 produced or processed food in order to improve child nutrition
  1 28 and strengthen local and regional farm economies.  The program
  1 29 seeks to link elementary and secondary public and nonpublic
  1 30 schools with Iowa farms to provide schools with fresh and
  1 31 minimally processed food for inclusion in school meals and
  1 32 snacks.
  1 33    The bill requires that a farm=to=school council comprised
  1 34 of representatives of interested agencies, organizations
  1 35 dedicated to health and nutrition, and agricultural producers
  2  1 prepare a report each year for submission to the governor and
  2  2 the general assembly.  The report must evaluate and grade the
  2  3 success of the program, and include plans to improve or expand
  2  4 the program, and recommendations to expand or improve the
  2  5 program.
  2  6 LSB 6220HH 82
  2  7 da/nh/5