HB 830

Abstract

Department of Education; establishment of Farm to School Program Task Force. Requires the Department of Education to establish and appoint such members as it deems necessary or appropriate to the Farm to School Program Task Force for the purpose of increasing student access throughout the Commonwealth to high-quality farm to school programs, defined in the bill as programs (i) whereby public schools purchase and feature prominently in school meals locally produced food or (ii) that involve experiential student learning opportunities relating to local food and agriculture, including school and community garden programs and local farm visits. The bill requires the Task Force to collaborate with local school boards, community-based organizations, farmers, relevant state and local agencies, and other relevant stakeholders to (a) assess existing farm to school programs within the Commonwealth to identify and disseminate to each local school board best practices for implementing and sustaining such programs, (b) establish and distribute to each local school board a guidance document for the establishment and operation of school garden programs, (c) provide information and resources to each local school board to assist it in leveraging grant funds to support farm to school programs, and (d) collect such data and make such policy recommendations to local school boards, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly as it deems appropriate. This bill is identical to SB 314.

Department of Education; farm to school programs; guidance and resources. Requires the Department of Education to (i) assess existing farm to school programs, as defined in the bill, within the Commonwealth to identify and disseminate to each local school board best practices for implementing and sustaining such programs, (ii) establish and distribute to each local school board a guidance document for the establishment and operation of school garden programs, and (iii) provide information and resources to each local school board to assist it in leveraging grant funds to support farm to school programs.

Department of Education; establishment of Farmto School Program Task Force. Requires the Department of Educationto establish and appoint such members as it deems necessary or appropriateto the Farm to School Program Task Force for the purpose of increasingstudent access throughout the Commonwealth to high-quality farm toschool programs, defined in the bill as programs (i) whereby publicschools purchase and feature prominently in school meals locallyproduced food or (ii) that involve experiential student learning opportunities relating to local food and agriculture, including school and communitygarden programs and local farm visits. The bill requires the TaskForce to collaborate with local school boards, community-based organizations,farmers, relevant state and local agencies, and other relevant stakeholdersto (a) assess existing farm to school programs within the Commonwealthto identify and disseminate to each local school board best practicesfor implementing and sustaining such programs, (b) establish anddistribute to each local school board a guidance document for theestablishment and operation of school garden programs, (c) provideinformation and resources to each local school board to assist itin leveraging grant funds to support farm to school programs, and(d) collect such data and make such policy recommendations to localschool boards, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly as it deems appropriate.