Senate File 404 - Reprinted
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE
(SUCCESSOR TO SF 332)
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:
5 TLSB 2461SV 83
6 da/nh/8
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 director's designee.
1 15 (3) The director of the department of inspections and
1 16 appeals, or the director's designee.
1 17 (4) The director of the Leopold center for sustainable
1 18 agriculture at Iowa state university of science and
1 19 technology, or the director's designee.
1 20 b. The following members appointed by the governor:
1 21 (1) Three individuals actively engaged in farming,
1 22 including individuals actively engaged in dairy, meat,
1 23 vegetable, and grain production.
1 24 (2) Three individuals who are actively involved in
1 25 specialty commodity production including flower, fruit,
1 26 viticulture, aquaculture, fiber, vegetable, and ornamental
1 27 production.
1 28 (3) Two individuals actively engaged in the distribution
1 29 of locally produced food, including one distributor of organic
1 30 food as certified pursuant to chapter 190C, and one
1 31 distributor of nonorganic food.
1 32 (4) One individual representing the interests of
1 33 consumers.
1 34 (5) Three individuals representing farm organizations,
1 35 including one member representing the Iowa farmers union.
2 1 (6) One individual representing the Iowa farmers market
2 2 association.
2 3 (7) One individual participating in the choose Iowa
2 4 program administered by the department of agriculture and land
2 5 stewardship.
2 6 (8) One individual actively engaged in the retail sale of
2 7 food.
2 8 (9) Four individuals representing community=based
2 9 organizations interested in food access.
2 10 Sec. 2. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM TASK FORCE == ADMINISTRATION.
2 11 1. The local food and farm task force shall elect a
2 12 chairperson. The task force shall meet on a regular basis and
2 13 at the call of the chairperson or upon the written request to
2 14 the chairperson of ten or more members. Thirteen members
2 15 constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of
2 16 the members present is necessary for any substantive action to
2 17 be taken by the task force. The majority shall not include
2 18 any member who has a conflict of interest and a statement by a
2 19 member that the member has a conflict of interest is
2 20 conclusive for this purpose. A vacancy in the membership does
2 21 not impair the duties of the task force.
2 22 2. Notwithstanding section 7E.6, the members shall only
2 23 receive reimbursement for actual expenses for performance of
2 24 their official duties, as provided by the department of
2 25 agriculture and land stewardship.
2 26 3. The task force shall be staffed by the department of
2 27 agriculture and land stewardship.
2 28 Sec. 3. LOCAL FOOD AND FARM TASK FORCE == LOCAL FOOD AND
2 29 FARM PLAN.
2 30 1. The local food and farm task force shall prepare a
2 31 local food and farm plan containing policy and funding
2 32 recommendations for expanding and supporting local food
2 33 systems and for assessing and overcoming obstacles necessary
2 34 to increase locally grown food production. The plan shall at
2 35 least do all of the following:
3 1 a. Identify financial incentives, technical support, and
3 2 training necessary to assist farmers to transition to local,
3 3 organic, and specialty crop production by minimizing financial
3 4 losses incurred during the transition period, including for
3 5 the production of organic food as provided in chapter 190C,
3 6 and to assist with associated record keeping requirements.
3 7 b. Identify strategies and funding needs to make fresh and
3 8 affordable locally grown foods more accessible, both in rural
3 9 and urban communities, with an emphasis on creating new food
3 10 outlets in communities that need them.
3 11 c. Identify the financial and technical support necessary
3 12 to develop or expand all of the following:
3 13 (1) Connections between landowners, farmers, buyers, and
3 14 consumers.
3 15 (2) Local food infrastructures for processing, storing,
3 16 and distributing food.
3 17 (3) New food and agriculture=related businesses for local
3 18 food and organic food production and distribution, such as
3 19 on=farm processing, micro=markets, incubator kitchens, and
3 20 marketing and communications businesses.
3 21 (4) Farmers markets, roadside markets, and local grocery
3 22 stores in unserved and underserved areas, as well as the
3 23 creation of year=round public markets in larger communities.
3 24 d. Research, identify, and coordinate best practices and
3 25 opportunities for the development or expansion of local food
3 26 and organic food production.
3 27 e. Identify opportunities to educate the public and
3 28 farmers regarding the benefits of local foods systems.
3 29 f. Identify legal impediments to local food and organic
3 30 food production, and develop recommendations for a remedy.
3 31 2. The local food and farm task force shall submit a local
3 32 food and farm plan to the general assembly by January 10,
3 33 2010.
3 34 Sec. 4. This Act is repealed on January 10, 2010.
3 35 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
4 1 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4 2 SF 404
4 3 da/nh/jh/26