HB 1619

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to school food service programs; amending
3	s. 1006.06, F.S.; creating the Florida Farm Fresh Schools
4	Program within the Department of Education; providing
5	legislative intent; requiring the department to work with
6	the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to
7	recommend policies and rules to the State Board of
8	Education relating to school food services which encourage
9	schools and school districts in this state to buy fresh
10	and local food; requiring the Department of Education, in
11	collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and
12	Consumer Services, to provide outreach services regarding
13	the benefits of fresh food products from this state;
14	requiring the program to maintain compliance with the
15	rules and regulations of the National School Lunch
16	Program; providing an effective date.
17
18	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20	Section 1.  Subsection (6) is added to section 1006.06,
21	Florida Statutes, to read:
22	1006.06  School food service programs.-
23	(6)  The Legislature, recognizing that school children need
24	nutritious food not only for healthy physical and intellectual
25	development but also to combat diseases related to poor
26	nutrition and obesity, establishes the Florida Farm Fresh
27	Schools Program within the Department of Education as the lead
28	agency for the program. The program shall:
29	(a)  Require the department to work with the Department of
30	Agriculture and Consumer Services to recommend policies and
31	rules to the State Board of Education pertaining to school food
32	services which:
33	1.  Encourage the patronization of products from farmers in
34	this state by requiring school districts and schools to buy
35	fresh and high-quality foods grown in this state when feasible;
36	2.  Encourage and solicit farmers in this state to sell
37	their products to school districts and schools in this state;
38	3.  Require school districts and schools to make reasonable
39	efforts to select foods based on a preference for those that
40	have maximum nutritional content; and
41	4.  Encourage school districts and schools to demonstrate a
42	preference for competitively priced organic food products.
43	(b)  Require the Department of Education, in collaboration
44	with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to
45	provide outreach, guidance, and training to districts, schools,
46	school food service directors, parent and teacher organizations,
47	and students about the benefits of fresh food products from
48	farms in this state.
49	(c)  Maintain compliance with the rules and regulations of
50	the National School Lunch Program.
51	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.