Senate File 332 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY WARNSTADT, BOLKCOM, RAGAN,
WILHELM, HECKROTH, and
OLIVE
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing a local food and farm task force, providing
2 for a local food and farm plan, and providing for an effective
3 date.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM TASK FORCE == CREATION AND
1 2 APPOINTMENT.
1 3 1. A local food and farm task force is created.
1 4 2. The members of the local food and farm task force shall
1 5 include all of the following:
1 6 a. Members representing state government including all of
1 7 the following:
1 8 (1) The secretary of agriculture or the secretary's
1 9 designee, and one person designated by the secretary of
1 10 agriculture who is authorized by the department of agriculture
1 11 and land stewardship to certify food as organic pursuant to
1 12 section 190C.2B.
1 13 (2) The director of the department of economic development
1 14 or the department's designee.
1 15 (3) The director of the department of human services or
1 16 the director's designee.
1 17 b. The following members appointed by the governor:
1 18 (1) Four individuals actively engaged in farming,
1 19 including individuals actively engaged in dairy, meat,
1 20 vegetable, and grain production.
1 21 (2) Four individuals who are actively involved in
1 22 specialty commodity production including flower, fruit,
1 23 viticulture, aquaculture, fiber, vegetable, and ornamental
1 24 production.
1 25 (3) Two individuals actively engaged in the distribution
1 26 of locally produced food, including one distributor of organic
1 27 food as certified pursuant to chapter 190C, and one
1 28 distributor of nonorganic food.
1 29 (4) One individual representing the interests of
1 30 consumers.
1 31 (5) Two individuals representing farm organizations.
1 32 (6) One individual actively engaged in the retail sale of
1 33 food.
1 34 (7) Two individuals representing two different cities.
1 35 (8) Four individuals representing community=based
2 1 organizations interested in food access.
2 2 Sec. 2. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM TASK FORCE == ADMINISTRATION.
2 3 1. The local food and farm task force shall elect a
2 4 chairperson. The task force shall meet on a regular basis and
2 5 at the call of the chairperson or upon the written request to
2 6 the chairperson of ten or more members. Thirteen members
2 7 constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of
2 8 the members present is necessary for any substantive action to
2 9 be taken by the task force. The majority shall not include
2 10 any member who has a conflict of interest and a statement by a
2 11 member that the member has a conflict of interest is
2 12 conclusive for this purpose. A vacancy in the membership does
2 13 not impair the duties of the task force.
2 14 2. Notwithstanding section 7E.6, the members shall only
2 15 receive reimbursement for actual expenses for performance of
2 16 their official duties, as provided by the department of
2 17 agriculture and land stewardship.
2 18 3. The task force shall be staffed by the department of
2 19 agriculture and land stewardship.
2 20 Sec. 3. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM TASK FORCE == LOCAL FOOD AND
2 21 FARM PLAN.
2 22 1. The local food and farm task force shall prepare a
2 23 local food and farm plan containing policy and funding
2 24 recommendations for expanding and supporting local food
2 25 systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary
2 26 to increase locally grown food production. The plan shall at
2 27 least do all of the following:
2 28 a. Identify financial incentives, technical support, and
2 29 training necessary to assist farmers to transition to local,
2 30 organic, and specialty crop production by minimizing financial
2 31 losses incurred during the transition period, including for
2 32 the production of organic food as provided in chapter 190C,
2 33 and to assist with associated record keeping requirements.
2 34 b. Identify strategies and funding needs to make fresh and
2 35 affordable locally grown foods more accessible, both in rural
3 1 and urban communities, with an emphasis on creating new food
3 2 outlets in communities that need them.
3 3 c. Identify the financial and technical support necessary
3 4 to develop or expand all of the following:
3 5 (1) Connections between landowners, farmers, buyers, and
3 6 consumers.
3 7 (2) Local food infrastructures for processing, storing,
3 8 and distributing food.
3 9 (3) New food and agriculture=related businesses for local
3 10 food and organic food production and distribution, such as
3 11 on=farm processing, micro=markets, incubator kitchens, and
3 12 marketing and communications businesses.
3 13 (4) Farmers markets, roadside markets, and local grocery
3 14 stores in unserved and underserved areas, as well as the
3 15 creation of year=round public markets in larger communities.
3 16 d. Research, identify, and coordinate best practices and
3 17 opportunities for the development or expansion of local food
3 18 and organic food production.
3 19 e. Identify opportunities to educate the public and
3 20 farmers regarding the benefits of local foods systems.
3 21 f. Identify legal impediments to local food and organic
3 22 food production, and develop recommendations for a remedy.
3 23 2. The local food and farm task force shall submit a local
3 24 food and farm plan to the general assembly by January 10,
3 25 2010.
3 26 Sec. 4. This Act is repealed on January 10, 2010.
3 27 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
3 28 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
3 29 EXPLANATION
3 30 This bill provides for the establishment of a local food
3 31 and farm task force which includes state officials of the
3 32 department of agriculture and land stewardship, the department
3 33 of economic development, and the department of human services
3 34 as well as other persons appointed by the governor who are
3 35 actively involved in or interested in food that is locally
4 1 produced, stored, distributed, sold, and consumed in this
4 2 state.
4 3 The bill provides procedures for the administration of the
4 4 task force and for reimbursement of expenses.
4 5 The bill requires the task force to prepare a local food
4 6 and farm plan containing policy and funding recommendations
4 7 for expanding and supporting local food systems and for
4 8 assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary to increase
4 9 locally grown food production. The plan must be submitted to
4 10 the general assembly by January 10, 2010, and the task force
4 11 is eliminated on that same day.
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