HF 2049

1st Engrossment - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/16/2017 04:05pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; establishing a farm-to-school 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 [17.1019] FARM-TO-SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT,
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND GRANT 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 meaning given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Eligible recipient" means a public or private elementary or secondary school, a
school district, or a child care provider that participates in one or more federal child nutrition
programs.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Federal child nutrition programs" means:
new text end

new text begin (1) national school lunch program;
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new text begin (2) school breakfast program;
new text end

new text begin (3) child and adult care food program;
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new text begin (4) fresh fruit and vegetable program; and
new text end

new text begin (5) summer food service program.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Minnesota grown" means 80 percent or more of the food product was produced and
processed in Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Unprocessed or minimally processed food" means an agricultural product that retains
its inherent character. For purposes of this section, the following food handling and
preservation techniques do not modify an agricultural product's inherent character: cooling;
refrigerating; freezing; modifying size by peeling, slicing, dicing, cutting, chopping, shucking,
or grinding; forming ground products into patties without the addition of additives or fillers;
drying or dehydration; washing; packaging, vacuum packing, and bagging; adding ascorbic
acid or other preservatives to produce to prevent oxidation; butchering livestock and poultry;
cleaning fish; or producing yogurt or cheese from milk.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The farm-to-school administrative support, technical assistance,
training, and grant program is established to facilitate and increase procurement of Minnesota
grown unprocessed and minimally processed food by eligible recipients in order to increase
Minnesota children's access to healthy, fresh, locally produced food and to support the
farmers and processors who sell their products to eligible recipients.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin University of Minnesota Extension. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must administer the
program in consultation with University of Minnesota Extension, who will provide assistance
to farmers and processors who sell or intend to sell Minnesota grown unprocessed and
minimally processed food to eligible recipients.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Grants; limitations. new text end

new text begin (a) Within the limits of available funding, the commissioner
must reimburse a participating eligible recipient for the documented cost of Minnesota
grown unprocessed or minimally processed food purchased.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must not reimburse an eligible recipient for:
new text end

new text begin (1) transportation, packaging, or other ancillary costs incurred to acquire the food; or
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new text begin (2) costs for which the eligible recipient has received, or will receive, reimbursement
through another local, state, federal, or private program.
new text end

new text begin (c) Each state fiscal year, total funding received by an eligible recipient under this section
must not exceed an amount equal to five cents multiplied by the number of meals the eligible
recipient served through the federal child nutrition programs during the prior year. The
commissioner of education must provide to the commissioner relevant data on the number
of meals served, which the commissioner must use to calculate the maximum amount of
grant funding available to a participating eligible recipient.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Application; documentation. new text end

new text begin An eligible recipient must submit an application
to the commissioner in the form required by the commissioner. An eligible recipient must
satisfy all food documentation or tracking requirements required by the commissioner to
ensure that grant awards are used by an eligible recipient only as reimbursement for eligible
food or eligible educational activities.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Eligible uses. new text end

new text begin (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), an eligible recipient
must use grant funds received under this section to purchase Minnesota grown unprocessed
or minimally processed food, not including fluid milk, agricultural commodities, or yogurt
containing artificial sweetener or more than eight ingredients.
new text end

new text begin (b) An eligible recipient may use up to 20 percent of grant funds received under this
section to support educational activities that directly connect children and their families
with agriculture and food including, but not limited to, school gardens, classroom-based
gardening or cooking projects, tasting tables, field trips to farms, and chef visits or training.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for purposes of the farm-to-school
administrative support, technical assistance, training, and grant program established in this
act. The commissioner must award grants on a first-come, first-served basis and may give
preference to eligible recipients with the highest percentage of free and reduced-price meal
service. The commissioner must use up to $100,000 of the appropriation each year to:
new text end

new text begin (1) administer the program;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide, in consultation with University of Minnesota Extension, grant-writing
assistance, administrative support, technical assistance, and training for participating farmers
and eligible grant recipients; and
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new text begin (3) serve as a statewide coordinator of farm-to-school strategy and programming, in
consultation with relevant stakeholders.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $300,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $300,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for transfer to the Board of Regents of the
University of Minnesota for three new agriculture extension positions, two of which must
be based out of different, noncontiguous extension regions located outside of the Twin
Cities metropolitan area. These extension positions must provide research-based education
and technical assistance statewide to beginning, specialty crop, and small to midsize farmers
and other farmers with demonstrated need in order to facilitate farm-to-school sales. This
education and technical assistance includes, but is not limited to, education and outreach
on business planning and development, institutional food procurement standards and
requirements, postharvest handling practices, including the development of food safety and
good agricultural practices plans, and food production processes.
new text end