HB 1251

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 Agriculture and Consumer
5	Services; providing legislative intent; requiring the
6	department to work with the Department of Education 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 Agriculture
11	and Consumer Services to provide outreach services
12	regarding the benefits of fresh food products from this
13	state; exempting the procurement of fresh fruits and
14	vegetables purchased for the Florida Farm Fresh Schools
15	Program from certain bid limits pursuant to s. 287.057,
16	F.S.; requiring the program to maintain compliance with
17	the rules and regulations of the National School Lunch
18	Program; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  Subsection (6) is added to section 1006.06,
23	Florida Statutes, to read:
24	1006.06  School food service programs.--
25	(6)  The Legislature, recognizing that school children need
26	nutritious food not only for healthy physical and intellectual
27	development but also to combat diseases related to poor
28	nutrition and obesity, establishes the Florida Farm Fresh
29	Schools Program within the Department of Agriculture and
30	Consumer Services as the lead agency for the program. The
31	program shall:
32	(a)  Require the department to work with the Department of
33	Education to recommend policies and rules to the State Board of
34	Education pertaining to school food services that:
35	1.  Encourage the patronization of products from farmers in
36	this state by requiring school districts and schools to buy
37	fresh and high quality foods grown in this state when feasible;
38	2.  Encourage and solicit farmers in this state to sell
39	their products to school districts and schools in this state;
40	3.  Require school districts and schools to make reasonable
41	efforts to select foods based on a preference for those that
42	have maximum nutritional content; and
43	4.  Encourage school districts and schools to demonstrate a
44	preference for competitively priced organic food products.
45	(b)  Require the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
46	Services to provide outreach, guidance, and training to
47	districts, schools, school food service directors, parent and
48	teacher organizations, and students about the benefits of fresh
49	food products from farms in this state.
50	(c)  Exempt fresh fruits and vegetables purchased as a
51	result of the Florida Farm Fresh Schools Program from the
52	CATEGORY TWO bid limit of $25,000 in s. 287.057.
53	(d)  Maintain compliance with the rules and regulations of
54	the National School Lunch Program.
55	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.

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