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The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 Appropriations (Siplin)

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recommended the following amendment to amendment (090688):

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     Senate Amendment (with directory and title amendments)

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     Between lines 74 and 75,

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insert:

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     (6) The Legislature, recognizing that school children need

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nutritious food not only for healthy physical and intellectual

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development, but also to combat diseases related to poor

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nutrition and obesity, establishes the Florida Farm Fresh Schools

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Program within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer

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Services as the lead agency for the program. The program shall:

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     (a) Require the department to work with the Department of

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Education to recommend policies and rules to the State Board of

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Education pertaining to school food services which:

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1. Encourage the patronization of products from farmers in

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this state by requiring school districts and schools to buy fresh

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and high quality foods grown in this state when feasible;

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2. Encourage and solicit farmers in this state to sell

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their products to school districts and schools in this state;

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3. Require school districts and schools to make reasonable

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efforts to select foods based on a preference for those that have

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maximum nutritional content; and

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4. Encourage school districts and schools to demonstrate a

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preference for competitively priced organic food products.

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     (b) Require the Department of Agriculture and Consumer

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Services to provide outreach, guidance, and training to school

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districts, schools, school food service directors, parent and

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teacher organizations, and students about the benefits of fresh

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food products from farms in this state.

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     (c) Exempt fresh fruits and vegetables purchased as a

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result of the Florida Farm Fresh Schools Program from the

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Category Two bid limit of $25,000 in s. 287.057.

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     (d) Maintain compliance with the rules and regulations of

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the National School Lunch Program.

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====== D I R E C T O R Y  C L A U S E  A M E N D M E N T =====

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And the directory clause is amended as follows:

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     Delete lines 7 and 8

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and insert:

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     Section 1.  Subsection (5) of section 1006.06, Florida

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Statutes, is amended, and subsection (6) is added to that

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section, to read:

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================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     On line 155, after the semicolon,

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insert:

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creating the Florida Farm Fresh Schools Program within

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the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;

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providing legislative intent; requiring the department

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to work with the Department of Education to recommend

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policies and rules to the State Board of Education

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relating to school food services which encourage

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schools and school districts in this state to buy fresh

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and local food; requiring the Department of Agriculture

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and Consumer Services to provide outreach and training

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regarding the benefits of fresh food products from this

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state; exempting the procurement of fresh fruits and

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vegetables purchased for the Florida Farm Fresh Schools

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Program from certain bid limits pursuant to s. 287.057,

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F.S.; requiring the program to maintain compliance with

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the rules and regulations of the National School Lunch

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Program;

4/22/2008  7:59:00 AM     602-08247-08