HF 2929

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/16/2023 02:36pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; establishing a headwaters community food and water
economic resiliency program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 17.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [17.995] HEADWATERS COMMUNITY FOOD AND WATER
ECONOMIC RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of agriculture.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Regenerative food web" means a decentralized, coordinated system for managing
energy regeneratively in every component of a locally adapted food economy from source
to table that is designed to be inclusive, create capacity for health and well-being, foster a
culture of caring, and recognize the fundamental interdependent relationship of people and
nature.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program; purpose. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must administer a headwaters community
food and water economic resiliency program. The purpose of the program is to facilitate
the establishment and maintenance of local and regional regenerative food webs to address
in a sustainable manner the enduring challenges of food, water, and climate. The
commissioner must develop and administer the program in consultation with the advisory
committee established under subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Methods. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must achieve the purpose in subdivision 2 through
multiple methods, including but not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) providing financial and technical assistance for urban and rural producers engaged
in organic, regenerative food systems to respond to demands for dependable food supply
chains in the face of unpredictable weather and to normalize access to affordable, culturally
relevant, locally produced, fresh, prepared, and preserved food sources daily in our schools
and our communities;
new text end

new text begin (2) providing financial and technical assistance for physical infrastructure including:
new text end

new text begin (i) facilities for aggregation, storage, composting, greenhouses, seed saving,
weather-resilient water management systems, and research;
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new text begin (ii) marketing and distribution sites including neighborhood food commons and kitchens
equipped for food preparation and preservation; and
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new text begin (iii) existing hubs and learning centers;
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new text begin (3) providing financial and technical assistance for operational infrastructure in every
component of the food web including:
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new text begin (i) production, preparation, and preservation;
new text end

new text begin (ii) neighborhood based food commons;
new text end

new text begin (iii) reusable storage, distribution, and waste elimination systems;
new text end

new text begin (iv) emergency preparation and recovery operations;
new text end

new text begin (v) aggregation;
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new text begin (vi) delivery, distribution, and storage systems designed to be responsive to daily and
seasonal needs that remove growers and producers responsibility for transporting harvests
to market sites;
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new text begin (vii) leadership training and network facilitation; and
new text end

new text begin (viii) the local and regional partnerships necessary to support regenerative food web
operations;
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new text begin (4) providing financial and technical assistance to advance the revival of food cultures
defined by Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color;
new text end

new text begin (5) providing funding for long-term holistic, in-situ research throughout the regenerative
food web to utilize and document local ecological knowledge, conduct seed and plant
exchange, and establish perennial, weather resilient landscapes to restore vital biological
diversity and ground water;
new text end

new text begin (6) providing a financial investment fund to offer training and to establish new members
of the food web including regenerative growers and teams of skilled culinary staff of all
racial identities, including community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, and
people of color to participate as employees in the food web economy including individual,
cooperative, and small-scale operations;
new text end

new text begin (7) providing affordable and accessible health care for every member of the food web
economy to ensure that the system is economically robust and can operate effectively; and
new text end

new text begin (8) establishing a fund to make fruits and vegetables affordable for all income levels.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Advisory committee. new text end

new text begin (a) The Headwaters Community Food and Water
Economic Resiliency Advisory Committee is established and consists of the commissioner
and persons from urban and rural communities who represent the following groups, as
appointed by the commissioner: local regenerative and organic farmers; neighborhood food
hubs; cooperatives; culinary schools; local food restaurateurs; community organizers; food
council members; system managers; scientists; researchers; students; and public health
officials. Members may be employed in the web economy and must include leaders who
are Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner may remove members and fill vacancies as provided in section 15.059,
subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin (b) The advisory committee must advise the commissioner regarding the establishment
and operation of the headwaters community food and water economic resiliency program,
including but not limited to program criteria, eligibility guidelines, application processes,
monitoring and accountability mechanisms, leveraging additional public and private
investments, and promoting the program statewide.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must convene the advisory committee at least two times per year
to advise the commissioner in performance of the committee's duties.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner must provide staffing, meeting space, and administrative services
for the advisory committee.
new text end

new text begin (e) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee is the chair of the committee.
new text end

new text begin (f) Public members of the advisory committee serve without compensation or payment
of expenses.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general
fund to the commissioner of agriculture for purposes of the headwaters community food
and water economic resiliency program.
new text end