House File 2322 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2322 BY INGELS A BILL FOR An Act providing for the agricultural commodities produced 1 in this state, including the preparation or processing of 2 agricultural commodities into local food, by providing for 3 the membership of the local food and farm program council, 4 and the local food and farm program. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns

H.F. 2322 Section 1. Section 267A.2, Code 2022, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 5. “Secretary” means the secretary of 3 agriculture. 4 Sec. 2. Section 267A.3, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2022, 5 are amended by striking the subsections and inserting in lieu 6 thereof the following: 7 2. The council shall be composed of the following voting 8 members: 9 a. The secretary or the secretary’s designee. 10 b. The following persons appointed by the secretary: 11 (1) Four farmers each of whom shall produce an agricultural 12 commodity in this state used to prepare or process a local 13 food. A farmer must be actively engaged in the on-farm 14 preparation or processing of an agricultural commodity into 15 local food. The farmer must offer the local food for sale in 16 this state directly to consumers. The secretary must appoint 17 farmers actively engaged in producing each of the following: 18 (a) Livestock used to produce meat products. 19 (b) Poultry used to produce poultry products. 20 (c) Dairy animals used to produce milk and dairy products. 21 (d) Fruit or vegetables to be washed or to be produced, cut, 22 canned, or otherwise processed into products. 23 (2) Two managers of firms each of whom shall represent 24 different types of processors of agricultural commodities doing 25 business in this state. A manager shall be actively engaged 26 in the purchase of agricultural commodities from farmers, the 27 preparation or processing of those commodities into local food, 28 and the resale of the local food to distributors on a wholesale 29 basis in this state. The secretary must appoint managers 30 actively engaged in the sale of the following: 31 (a) Meat products, poultry products, or milk or dairy 32 products. 33 (b) Fruits or vegetables, fruit products, or vegetable 34 products. 35 -1- LSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns 1/ 5

H.F. 2322 (3) One manager of a wholesale distributor of local 1 food doing business in this state. The manager must be 2 actively engaged in the purchase of local food prepared or 3 processed from agricultural commodities by processors, and 4 in the marketing of local food on a wholesale basis to food 5 establishments in this state. 6 (4) Three managers of food establishments doing business 7 in this state. Each manager must be actively engaged in the 8 purchase of local food prepared or processed from agricultural 9 commodities produced in this state, the purchase of the 10 local food from wholesale distributors, and the marketing or 11 distribution of the local food to consumers in this state. 12 The secretary must appoint managers actively engaged in the 13 operation of the following: 14 (a) A grocery store. 15 (b) A food service provider distributing food to any of the 16 following: 17 (i) Students attending a public or private school from 18 kindergarten through grade twelve. 19 (ii) Children attending a center for early education. 20 (c) A food service provider distributing local food to an 21 institution not attended by children. 22 (5) Four heads of local or regional community food 23 organizations doing business in this state. Each head must be 24 actively engaged in promoting the well-being of Iowans through 25 the distribution of local food prepared or processed from 26 agricultural commodities produced in this state. The local or 27 regional food community organizations shall include all of the 28 following: 29 (a) The regional food system working group. 30 (b) The food hub managers working group. 31 (c) The farm to school and early care coalition. 32 (d) The food system coalition. 33 (6) An attorney practicing in areas of food and agricultural 34 law. 35 -2- LSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns 2/ 5

H.F. 2322 (7) An employee of a government entity who specializes in 1 nutrition programs. 2 3. The secretary may invite interested organizations to 3 submit nominations of candidates eligible to be appointed to 4 the council. A designee of the secretary or a member appointed 5 by the secretary serves at the pleasure of the secretary. 6 Sec. 3. Section 267A.6, Code 2022, is amended to read as 7 follows: 8 267A.6 Local food and farm program. 9 1. The local food and farm program coordinator, with advice 10 from the local food and farm program council, shall develop and 11 administer a local food and farm program necessary to carry out 12 the purpose and goals of this chapter as provided in section 13 267A.1 , including but not limited to by improving any of the 14 following: . 15 1. 2. In administering the program, the coordinator may 16 sponsor and fund projects that do any of the following: 17 a. Communication Improve communication and cooperation 18 between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers. 19 2. b. Coordination Improve communication between and 20 among government agencies, public universities and community 21 colleges, organizations, and private-sector firms working on 22 local food and farm-related issues. 23 c. Demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and 24 marketing local foods. A demonstration project must be capable 25 of being replicated on a statewide basis. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 BACKGROUND. Code chapter 267A establishes an initiative 30 related to the production, processing, distribution, and 31 marketing of agricultural commodities produced in this state 32 and food products prepared or processed from those agricultural 33 commodities in this state. The initiative is administered 34 by a local food and farm program council (council) which is 35 -3- LSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns 3/ 5

H.F. 2322 established within the department of agriculture and land 1 stewardship (DALS) and is comprised of five members. The 2 membership includes the secretary of agriculture (secretary) or 3 a designee; a member appointed by the Iowa farmers union and a 4 member appointed by the Iowa farmers market association; and 5 three members appointed by the governor, including a person 6 associated with a resource conservation and development office, 7 a person actively engaged in the production, processing, and 8 distribution of food products; and a person from the regional 9 food systems working group (Code section 267A.3). It also 10 establishes the position of local food and farm program 11 coordinator (coordinator) within Iowa state university of 12 science and technology (Code section 267A.4). The coordinator, 13 with advice from the council, administers a local food and farm 14 program (program) to improve communication and cooperation 15 between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers; 16 and to foster coordination between and among government 17 agencies and private-sector firms working on local food and 18 farm-related issues. The program is supported by a local food 19 and farm program fund established within DALS (Code section 20 267A.5). 21 BILL’S PROVISIONS. The secretary or secretary’s designee 22 remains on the council but other members are replaced by 16 23 persons appointed by the secretary. The membership includes 24 four farmers engaged in producing agricultural commodities 25 (livestock, poultry, vegetables, and fruits). The farmers 26 must be engaged in the on-farm processing of the commodities 27 into food products for retail sale. The membership must also 28 include two managers of processing firms engaged in processing 29 agricultural commodities into food products for sale to 30 distributors on a wholesale basis, a manager of a distributor 31 involved in the sale of food products to food establishments 32 on a wholesale basis, three managers of food establishments 33 distributing food products to consumers, four heads of local or 34 regional community organizations interested in providing food 35 -4- LSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns 4/ 5

H.F. 2322 services to individuals, an attorney practicing agricultural 1 or food law, and an employee of a government entity interested 2 in nutrition programs. Finally, the bill expands the program 3 by allowing the coordinator in consultation with the council 4 to demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and 5 marketing locally produced and processed foods. 6 -5- LSB 5753YH (3) 89 da/ns 5/ 5