THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	237
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER LEASING OR RENTING PUBLIC SCHOOL CAFETERIAS TO VALUE-ADDED FOOD PROCESSORS TO PROMOTE THE USE OF LOCALLY-GROWN FRESH PRODUCE IN SCHOOL MEALS.

 

 

     WHEREAS, nationwide, school-aged children suffer from the effects of being overweight and obese and are becoming overweight and obese at unparalleled rates; and

 

     WHEREAS, the National Survey of Children's Health for Hawaii reports that seventeen and three-tenths per cent of public school children are overweight, and eleven and two-tenths per cent are obese; and

 

     WHEREAS, nearly eighty-four per cent of school-aged children in Hawaii eat more than the daily recommended amount of fat; and

 

     WHEREAS, nearly thirty per cent of school-aged children in Hawaii eat less than one serving of vegetables a day and nearly fifty per cent of school-aged children eat less than one serving of fruit a day; and

 

     WHEREAS, most public school cafeterias are used for only a limited amount of time during the school day and on the weekend; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature, agricultural community, parents, and other interested parties have looked at methods to increase the amount and variety of locally-grown fresh produce in our public schools through farm-to-school programs and focused procurement policies; and

 

     WHEREAS, leasing or renting cafeteria space to value-added processors to incorporate locally-grown produce into the school meals program could have a beneficial effect on student health and Hawaii's agriculture industry; and

 

     WHEREAS, income from leasing or renting public school cafeterias could be invested in school infrastructure or healthier school lunches; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2010, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to convene a Public School Cafeteria Leasing Program Working Group to consider the feasibility of leasing or renting public school cafeteria facilities to value-added food processors to promote the use of locally-grown fresh produce in the school meals program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to include in the Public School Cafeteria Leasing Program Working Group representatives from the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, United States Small Business Administration Hawaii District Office, University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and Kokua Hawaii Foundation; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Public School Cafeteria Leasing Program Working Group is requested to consider issues including but not limited to the following:

 

     (1)  Whether there are any statutes or rules that prevent the lease or rental of public school cafeteria facilities for use by value-added food processors;

 

     (2)  The types of value-added food processors that should be allowed to lease or rent public school cafeteria facilities for the express purpose of integrating fresh, locally-grown produce in the school meals program;

 

     (3)  What kinds of value-added produce can be incorporated into school meals and how they would be used;

 

     (4)  The safety and health concerns, liabilities, and other issues that need to be addressed regarding the lease or rental of public school cafeteria facilities to value-added food processors; and

 

     (5)  How protocol or standard agreements could be developed to allow individual schools to elect to lease or rent their cafeteria facilities to value-added food processors; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011, on its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, regarding the establishment of a Public School Cafeteria Leasing Program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, the Director of Health, the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Executive Director of the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the District Director of the United States Small Business Administration Hawaii District Office, the Dean of the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and the Executive Director of the Kokua Hawaii Foundation.

Report Title: 

School Cafeterias; Leasing; Food Processors