House Study Bill 243
HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON MERTZ)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for an Iowa farmers' market nutrition program.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
3 TLSB 1984HC 82
4 da/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 175B.1 SHORT TITLE.
1 2 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Iowa
1 3 Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Act".
1 4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 175B.2 DEFINITIONS.
1 5 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
1 6 requires:
1 7 1. "Department" means the department of agriculture and
1 8 land stewardship.
1 9 2. "Federal program" means the WIC farmers' market
1 10 nutrition program and the senior farmers' market nutrition
1 11 program.
1 12 3. "Iowa farmers' market nutrition program" means the
1 13 program established pursuant to section 175B.3.
1 14 4. "Senior farmers' market nutrition program" means the
1 15 federal senior farmers' market nutrition program as authorized
1 16 by the federal Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002,
1 17 7 U.S.C. } 3007, and provided for in 7 C.F.R., pt. 249.
1 18 5. "WIC farmers' market nutrition program" means the
1 19 federal women, infants, and children farmers' market nutrition
1 20 program as authorized by the federal Child Nutrition Act of
1 21 1966, 42 U.S.C. } 1786, and as regulated by 7 C.F.R., pt. 248.
1 22 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 175B.3 IOWA FARMERS' MARKET
1 23 NUTRITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
1 24 An Iowa farmers' market nutrition program is established.
1 25 The purpose of the Iowa farmers' market nutrition program is
1 26 to provide for the coordinated administration of the WIC
1 27 farmers' market nutrition program and the senior farmers'
1 28 market nutrition program. The department is not required to
1 29 administer the federal programs on a coordinated basis if the
1 30 department determines that it is not practical or in the best
1 31 interest of persons participating in a federal program.
1 32 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 175B.4 ADMINISTRATION.
1 33 The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall
1 34 administer the Iowa farmers' market nutrition program, as
1 35 follows:
2 1 1. a. For the WIC farmers' market nutrition program, the
2 2 department may do all of the following:
2 3 (1) Provide resources in the form of fresh, nutritious,
2 4 unprepared foods such as fruits and vegetables from farmers'
2 5 markets to women, infants, and children who are nutritionally
2 6 at risk and who are participating in the special supplemental
2 7 nutrition program for women, infants, and children or are on
2 8 the waiting list for the special supplemental nutrition
2 9 program.
2 10 (2) Expand the awareness, use of, and sales at farmers'
2 11 markets.
2 12 b. For the senior farmers' market nutrition program, the
2 13 department may do all of the following:
2 14 (1) Provide resources in the form of fresh, nutritious,
2 15 unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs from
2 16 farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community=supported
2 17 agriculture programs to low=income seniors.
2 18 (2) Increase the domestic consumption of agricultural
2 19 commodities by expanding or aiding in the expansion of
2 20 domestic farmers' markets, roadside stands, and
2 21 community=supported agriculture.
2 22 (3) Develop or aid in the development of new and
2 23 additional farmers' markets, roadside stands, and
2 24 community=supported agriculture.
2 25 2. The department shall administer the federal programs as
2 26 a state agency approved by the United States department of
2 27 agriculture. The department may apply to and submit a state
2 28 plan for approval by the United States department of
2 29 agriculture as required to administer the federal programs.
2 30 3. The department and any other state agency, local
2 31 government agency, or nonprofit entity participating in the
2 32 federal programs shall cooperate as necessary in order to
2 33 carry out the federal programs, including by entering into
2 34 written agreements. The department and any other state agency
2 35 shall cooperate under the auspices of the governor.
3 1 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 175B.5 OTHER PROGRAMS.
3 2 Nothing in this chapter restricts the department from
3 3 providing for programs which promote the purposes of the
3 4 federal programs.
3 5 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 175B.6 ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.
3 6 The department shall adopt rules in order to administer the
3 7 Iowa farmers' market nutrition program. If another state
3 8 agency is involved in the administration of this chapter, the
3 9 other state agency shall cooperate with the department in
3 10 adopting its rules.
3 11 EXPLANATION
3 12 This bill provides to the department of agriculture and
3 13 land stewardship to administer two federal programs under the
3 14 direction of the United States department of agriculture,
3 15 including the federal women, infants, and children (WIC)
3 16 farmers' market nutrition program and the senior farmers'
3 17 market nutrition program. The requirements for both programs
3 18 are provided for under federal law (7 C.F.R., pt. 248 and
3 19 249).
3 20 The bill provides for an Iowa farmers' market nutrition
3 21 program to provide for the coordinated administration of the
3 22 WIC farmers' market nutrition program and the senior farmers'
3 23 market nutrition program. The department is not required to
3 24 administer the federal programs on a coordinated basis if the
3 25 department determines that it is not practical or in the best
3 26 interest of persons participating in a federal program.
3 27 The bill sets out the purposes of the program as stated in
3 28 federal law, including to provide resources in the form of
3 29 fresh, nutritious, unprepared foods (fruits and vegetables)
3 30 from farmers' markets to (1) women, infants, and children and
3 31 (2) low=income seniors. The bill authorizes the department to
3 32 apply and submit a state plan for approval by the United
3 33 States department of agriculture and enter into agreements
3 34 with other state agencies, local governments, or nonprofit
3 35 entities participating in the federal programs.
4 1 LSB 1984HC 82
4 2 da:rj/gg/14