Hawaii-2018-SB2928-Amended

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that farm to school programs effect positive change for the State in the areas of agriculture, education, and health and that state-level support for farm to school programming is an essential investment for Hawaii.

The legislature established the Hawaii farm to school program and coordinator position in the Hawaii department of agriculture with Act 218, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, to invest in sourcing local food for state institutions and to increase agriculture and nutrition education opportunities for students such as school gardens, animal husbandry, farm field trips, culinary experiences, and expanded agricultural career pathways. In addition to the progress made in these areas, the Hawaii farm to school program's efforts have increased the State's capacity to meet other state objectives such as increasing student health, increasing student academic achievement, growing farmers, and increasing local food production. However, projects funded through special funds can be difficult to plan and administer; if the Hawaii farm to school program is funded with general revenues, the program will be more stable and can continue to increase the State's return on investment by growing valuable farm to school programs and institutional purchasing opportunities.

The legislature finds that farm to school programs enhance student education, connect students with agricultural concepts and practices, improve childhood nutrition, and support the needs of the whole child with numerous benefits during and after the school day. Included in these benefits are increases in academic achievement that result from place-based experiential learning with physical activity, increases in student participation in school meal programs and preference for fresh fruits and vegetables contributing to improved student nutritional habits and overall health, and improvements in overall student behavior, school attendance, and family and community engagement.

The legislature also finds that farm to school activities support a nutritious school food environment in public schools, which are attended by more than eighty-five per cent of Hawaii's children and youth. Because farm to school activities familiarize students with locally grown foods and increase student consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables at school and at home, investing in farm to school programs means investing in the health of children by helping to establish healthy behaviors at an early age, which may prevent the onset of chronic diseases that appear later in life including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, which are the leading causes of death in Hawaii.

The legislature further finds that farm to school programs contribute to increasing local food production, which is a critical component to food security as identified in the office of planning's report, Increased Food Security and Food Self-Sufficiency Strategy, and that institutional purchasing can expand local supply with strategic procurement plans. Moreover, Act 55, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, encourages the purchase and use of Hawaii-grown food and food products by residents, businesses, and governmental bodies. Yet, the procurement of locally grown and raised foods has been difficult for state entities who struggle to find adequate local supply while complying with procurement laws, regulations, and procedures. Although the Hawaii farm to school coordinator has been working with stakeholders to address the issues of supply, demand, procurement, and consumption of Hawaii-grown foods in state facilities, Hawaii farmers interested in producing food for schools and other state facilities need assistance to meet the prerequisite demands of state contracting such as food safety requirements to comply with the Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety Modernization Act and good agricultural practices certifications. Besides schools, the support of the Hawaii farm to school program and investment in a farm to school grant pilot program may increase local food production with increased local purchasing efforts in Hawaii.

The legislature finds that a number of other states operate farm to school grant programs, including but not limited to Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. The goals of these grant programs are to increase access to healthy local foods, provide increased educational opportunities around agriculture, nutrition, and food systems, and support and grow market opportunities for local food producers and processors. A farm to school grant pilot program will provide direct support to local entities for the development of community-level farm to school programs toward the attainment of these same goals for the people and communities of Hawaii.

The purpose of this Act is to support and sustain the progress of the Hawaii farm to school program and to establish a three-year farm to school grant pilot program in the department of agriculture.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the department of agriculture a three-year farm to school grant pilot program. The department of agriculture shall collaborate with the department of education, department of health, public charter schools, the University of Hawaii college of tropical agriculture and human resources, and farm to school stakeholders to provide grants to the following eligible entities:

(1) Public schools within the department of education;

(2) Public charter schools;

(3) Public funded early care and education centers;

(4) Nonprofit organizations;

(5) Soil and water conservation districts organized pursuant to chapter 180; and

(6) Farmers, ranchers, and other food vendors registered with the department of agriculture's Hawaii farm to school program.

(b) An eligible entity may apply to the department of agriculture for a grant to support:

(1) Procurement of foods produced or processed in the State that meet the Hawaii products preference requirements of section 103D-1002, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Food-based, agriculture-based, farm-based, and school garden-based educational and apprenticeship activities;

(3) Initiatives to sustain or expand existing farm to school programs; or

(4) Food safety and good agricultural practices training and implementation.

(c) An entity that receives a grant shall use the moneys for costs directly associated with the approved activities, including labor and professional fees for employees or contractors, professional development and relevant teacher substitute costs, training expenses, travel costs, and necessary supplies and equipment purchased for the activities.

(d) The department of agriculture shall collaborate with the department of education, the department of health, and other farm to school stakeholders to develop and adopt rules necessary to implement the farm to school grant pilot program, including but not limited to:

(1) Rules establishing the amounts of grants to be awarded;

(2) Procedures for applying for grants; and

(3) Criteria for awarding grants, which shall include:

(A) A preference for entities that propose activities that:

(i) Are well designed;

(ii) Promote healthy food activities;

(iii) Have clear educational objectives;

(iv) Involve parents and the community;

(v) Expand agricultural career pathways;

(vi) Increase local food production in communities;

(vii) Are connected to existing farm to school procurement activities; and

(viii) Are culturally relevant to the students being served by the grant moneys;

(B) Among the grant recipients, representation of a variety of school sizes and geographic locations; and

(C) Among the selected grant recipients, service of a high percentage of children who qualify for free or reduced price school meals under the United States Department of Agriculture's National School Lunch Program.

SECTION 3. The Hawaii farm to school coordinator shall submit a report to the legislature on the value and outcome of the farm to school grant pilot project, and any recommendations regarding the program, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2021.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the farm to school grant pilot program to provide grants to recipients of the farm to school grant pilot program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the continuance of the Hawaii farm to school program, to be allocated as follows:

(1) $ for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) farm to school coordinator position; and

(2) $ for administrative expenses for the Hawaii farm to school program.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2021.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2928
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII