GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2009

S                                                                                                                                                    D

SENATE DRS75330-LNz-194A*  (04/15)

Short Title:        Farm to School Program/Funds.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Senators Purcell,  Dannelly, Davis, Preston, Tillman, and Walters.
Referred to:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN EMPLOYEE POSITION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DEDICATED TO ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION OF THE FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM and to require the department  to report annually on the program, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture the sum of sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.  These funds shall be used to establish a position in the Department dedicated to the administration and operation of the Farm to School Program.  Duties of the position shall include:

(1)        Increasing the educational components of the Farm to School Program.

(2)        Developing and maintaining a list of farmers interested in selling farm products to school systems in this State.

(3)        Encouraging more school systems to participate in the Farm to School Program.

(4)        Expanding the current efforts of participating school systems in the Farm to School Program.

(5)        Providing technical assistance to farmers on participation in the Farm to School Program.

(6)        Seeking opportunities to standardize the small purchase threshold for child nutrition programs to facilitate the purchase by school systems of farm products from local farmers.

(7)        Working with the Department of Public Instruction to create Farm to School Program curriculum materials or to revise existing materials to correlate with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

(8)        Collaborating with the Child Nutrition Program, the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Services, and other groups working in the area of child nutrition.

SECTION 1.(b)  The Department of Agriculture shall report annually on the Farm to School Program, including information on participation rates, amount and types of produce purchased, education, and expansion efforts. The Department shall report to the Task Force on Childhood Obesity, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Joint Legislative Health Care Oversight Committee, the Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, and the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2010.