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House File 2322 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1providing for the agricultural commodities produced
2in this state, including the preparation or processing of
3agricultural commodities into local food, by providing for
4the membership of the local food and farm program council,
5and the local food and farm program.
6BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 267A.2, Code 2022, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. “Secretary” means the secretary of
4agriculture.
5 Sec. 2. Section 267A.3, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2022,
6are amended by striking the subsections and inserting in lieu
7thereof the following:
82. The council shall be composed of the following voting
9members:
10a. The secretary or the secretary’s designee.
11b. The following persons appointed by the secretary:
12(1) Four farmers each of whom shall produce an agricultural
13commodity in this state used to prepare or process a local
14food. A farmer must be actively engaged in the on-farm
15preparation or processing of an agricultural commodity into
16local food. The farmer must offer the local food for sale in
17this state directly to consumers. The secretary must appoint
18farmers actively engaged in producing each of the following:
19(a) Livestock used to produce meat products.
20(b) Poultry used to produce poultry products.
21(c) Dairy animals used to produce milk and dairy products.
22(d) Fruit or vegetables to be washed or to be produced, cut,
23canned, or otherwise processed into products.
24(2) Two managers of firms each of whom shall represent
25different types of processors of agricultural commodities doing
26business in this state. A manager shall be actively engaged
27in the purchase of agricultural commodities from farmers, the
28preparation or processing of those commodities into local food,
29and the resale of the local food to distributors on a wholesale
30basis in this state. The secretary must appoint managers
31actively engaged in the sale of the following:
32(a) Meat products, poultry products, or milk or dairy
33products.
34(b) Fruits or vegetables, fruit products, or vegetable
35products.
-1- 1(3) One manager of a wholesale distributor of local
2food doing business in this state. The manager must be
3actively engaged in the purchase of local food prepared or
4processed from agricultural commodities by processors, and
5in the marketing of local food on a wholesale basis to food
6establishments in this state.
7(4) Three managers of food establishments doing business
8in this state. Each manager must be actively engaged in the
9purchase of local food prepared or processed from agricultural
10commodities produced in this state, the purchase of the
11local food from wholesale distributors, and the marketing or
12distribution of the local food to consumers in this state.
13The secretary must appoint managers actively engaged in the
14operation of the following:
15(a) A grocery store.
16(b) A food service provider distributing food to any of the
17following:
18(i) Students attending a public or private school from
19kindergarten through grade twelve.
20(ii) Children attending a center for early education.
21(c) A food service provider distributing local food to an
22institution not attended by children.
23(5) Four heads of local or regional community food
24organizations doing business in this state. Each head must be
25actively engaged in promoting the well-being of Iowans through
26the distribution of local food prepared or processed from
27agricultural commodities produced in this state. The local or
28regional food community organizations shall include all of the
29following:
30(a) The regional food system working group.
31(b) The food hub managers working group.
32(c) The farm to school and early care coalition.
33(d) The food system coalition.
34(6) An attorney practicing in areas of food and agricultural
35law.
-2- 1(7) An employee of a government entity who specializes in
2nutrition programs.
33. The secretary may invite interested organizations to
4submit nominations of candidates eligible to be appointed to
5the council. A designee of the secretary or a member appointed
6by the secretary serves at the pleasure of the secretary.
7 Sec. 3. Section 267A.6, Code 2022, is amended to read as
8follows:
9267A.6 Local food and farm program.
101. The local food and farm program coordinator, with advice
11from the local food and farm program council, shall develop and
12administer a local food and farm program necessary to carry out
13the purpose and goals of this chapter as provided in section
14267A.1, including but not limited to by improving any of the
15following:.
161. 2. In administering the program, the coordinator may
17sponsor and fund projects that do any of the following:
18a. Communication Improve communication and cooperation
19between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers.
202. b. Coordination Improve communication between and
21among government agencies, public universities and community
22colleges, organizations, and private-sector firms working on
23local food and farm-related issues.
24c. Demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and
25marketing local foods. A demonstration project must be capable
26of being replicated on a statewide basis.
27EXPLANATION
28The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
29the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
30BACKGROUND. Code chapter 267A establishes an initiative
31related to the production, processing, distribution, and
32marketing of agricultural commodities produced in this state
33and food products prepared or processed from those agricultural
34commodities in this state. The initiative is administered
35by a local food and farm program council (council) which is
-3-1established within the department of agriculture and land
2stewardship (DALS) and is comprised of five members. The
3membership includes the secretary of agriculture (secretary) or
4a designee; a member appointed by the Iowa farmers union and a
5member appointed by the Iowa farmers market association; and
6three members appointed by the governor, including a person
7associated with a resource conservation and development office,
8a person actively engaged in the production, processing, and
9distribution of food products; and a person from the regional
10food systems working group (Code section 267A.3). It also
11establishes the position of local food and farm program
12coordinator (coordinator) within Iowa state university of
13science and technology (Code section 267A.4). The coordinator,
14with advice from the council, administers a local food and farm
15program (program) to improve communication and cooperation
16between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers;
17and to foster coordination between and among government
18agencies and private-sector firms working on local food and
19farm-related issues. The program is supported by a local food
20and farm program fund established within DALS (Code section
21267A.5).
22BILL’S PROVISIONS. The secretary or secretary’s designee
23remains on the council but other members are replaced by 16
24persons appointed by the secretary. The membership includes
25four farmers engaged in producing agricultural commodities
26(livestock, poultry, vegetables, and fruits). The farmers
27must be engaged in the on-farm processing of the commodities
28into food products for retail sale. The membership must also
29include two managers of processing firms engaged in processing
30agricultural commodities into food products for sale to
31distributors on a wholesale basis, a manager of a distributor
32involved in the sale of food products to food establishments
33on a wholesale basis, three managers of food establishments
34distributing food products to consumers, four heads of local or
35regional community organizations interested in providing food
-4-1services to individuals, an attorney practicing agricultural
2or food law, and an employee of a government entity interested
3in nutrition programs. Finally, the bill expands the program
4by allowing the coordinator in consultation with the council
5to demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and
6marketing locally produced and processed foods.
-5-da/ns
2in this state, including the preparation or processing of
3agricultural commodities into local food, by providing for
4the membership of the local food and farm program council,
5and the local food and farm program.
6BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 267A.2, Code 2022, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. “Secretary” means the secretary of
4agriculture.
5 Sec. 2. Section 267A.3, subsections 2 and 3, Code 2022,
6are amended by striking the subsections and inserting in lieu
7thereof the following:
82. The council shall be composed of the following voting
9members:
10a. The secretary or the secretary’s designee.
11b. The following persons appointed by the secretary:
12(1) Four farmers each of whom shall produce an agricultural
13commodity in this state used to prepare or process a local
14food. A farmer must be actively engaged in the on-farm
15preparation or processing of an agricultural commodity into
16local food. The farmer must offer the local food for sale in
17this state directly to consumers. The secretary must appoint
18farmers actively engaged in producing each of the following:
19(a) Livestock used to produce meat products.
20(b) Poultry used to produce poultry products.
21(c) Dairy animals used to produce milk and dairy products.
22(d) Fruit or vegetables to be washed or to be produced, cut,
23canned, or otherwise processed into products.
24(2) Two managers of firms each of whom shall represent
25different types of processors of agricultural commodities doing
26business in this state. A manager shall be actively engaged
27in the purchase of agricultural commodities from farmers, the
28preparation or processing of those commodities into local food,
29and the resale of the local food to distributors on a wholesale
30basis in this state. The secretary must appoint managers
31actively engaged in the sale of the following:
32(a) Meat products, poultry products, or milk or dairy
33products.
34(b) Fruits or vegetables, fruit products, or vegetable
35products.
-1- 1(3) One manager of a wholesale distributor of local
2food doing business in this state. The manager must be
3actively engaged in the purchase of local food prepared or
4processed from agricultural commodities by processors, and
5in the marketing of local food on a wholesale basis to food
6establishments in this state.
7(4) Three managers of food establishments doing business
8in this state. Each manager must be actively engaged in the
9purchase of local food prepared or processed from agricultural
10commodities produced in this state, the purchase of the
11local food from wholesale distributors, and the marketing or
12distribution of the local food to consumers in this state.
13The secretary must appoint managers actively engaged in the
14operation of the following:
15(a) A grocery store.
16(b) A food service provider distributing food to any of the
17following:
18(i) Students attending a public or private school from
19kindergarten through grade twelve.
20(ii) Children attending a center for early education.
21(c) A food service provider distributing local food to an
22institution not attended by children.
23(5) Four heads of local or regional community food
24organizations doing business in this state. Each head must be
25actively engaged in promoting the well-being of Iowans through
26the distribution of local food prepared or processed from
27agricultural commodities produced in this state. The local or
28regional food community organizations shall include all of the
29following:
30(a) The regional food system working group.
31(b) The food hub managers working group.
32(c) The farm to school and early care coalition.
33(d) The food system coalition.
34(6) An attorney practicing in areas of food and agricultural
35law.
-2- 1(7) An employee of a government entity who specializes in
2nutrition programs.
33. The secretary may invite interested organizations to
4submit nominations of candidates eligible to be appointed to
5the council. A designee of the secretary or a member appointed
6by the secretary serves at the pleasure of the secretary.
7 Sec. 3. Section 267A.6, Code 2022, is amended to read as
8follows:
9267A.6 Local food and farm program.
101. The local food and farm program coordinator, with advice
11from the local food and farm program council, shall develop and
12administer a local food and farm program necessary to carry out
13the purpose and goals of this chapter as provided in section
14267A.1, including but not limited to by improving any of the
15following:.
161. 2. In administering the program, the coordinator may
17sponsor and fund projects that do any of the following:
18a. Communication Improve communication and cooperation
19between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers.
202. b. Coordination Improve communication between and
21among government agencies, public universities and community
22colleges, organizations, and private-sector firms working on
23local food and farm-related issues.
24c. Demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and
25marketing local foods. A demonstration project must be capable
26of being replicated on a statewide basis.
27EXPLANATION
28The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
29the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
30BACKGROUND. Code chapter 267A establishes an initiative
31related to the production, processing, distribution, and
32marketing of agricultural commodities produced in this state
33and food products prepared or processed from those agricultural
34commodities in this state. The initiative is administered
35by a local food and farm program council (council) which is
-3-1established within the department of agriculture and land
2stewardship (DALS) and is comprised of five members. The
3membership includes the secretary of agriculture (secretary) or
4a designee; a member appointed by the Iowa farmers union and a
5member appointed by the Iowa farmers market association; and
6three members appointed by the governor, including a person
7associated with a resource conservation and development office,
8a person actively engaged in the production, processing, and
9distribution of food products; and a person from the regional
10food systems working group (Code section 267A.3). It also
11establishes the position of local food and farm program
12coordinator (coordinator) within Iowa state university of
13science and technology (Code section 267A.4). The coordinator,
14with advice from the council, administers a local food and farm
15program (program) to improve communication and cooperation
16between and among farmers, food entrepreneurs, and consumers;
17and to foster coordination between and among government
18agencies and private-sector firms working on local food and
19farm-related issues. The program is supported by a local food
20and farm program fund established within DALS (Code section
21267A.5).
22BILL’S PROVISIONS. The secretary or secretary’s designee
23remains on the council but other members are replaced by 16
24persons appointed by the secretary. The membership includes
25four farmers engaged in producing agricultural commodities
26(livestock, poultry, vegetables, and fruits). The farmers
27must be engaged in the on-farm processing of the commodities
28into food products for retail sale. The membership must also
29include two managers of processing firms engaged in processing
30agricultural commodities into food products for sale to
31distributors on a wholesale basis, a manager of a distributor
32involved in the sale of food products to food establishments
33on a wholesale basis, three managers of food establishments
34distributing food products to consumers, four heads of local or
35regional community organizations interested in providing food
-4-1services to individuals, an attorney practicing agricultural
2or food law, and an employee of a government entity interested
3in nutrition programs. Finally, the bill expands the program
4by allowing the coordinator in consultation with the council
5to demonstrate the value of processing, distributing, and
6marketing locally produced and processed foods.
-5-da/ns