CS/HB 1619

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


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