November 6, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Proos and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
A bill to provide for the establishment of a grant program and
procedures of administering that program; to provide for methods
for certain farm product producers to access school-related food
programs; to provide for the setting of standards for qualification
for the grant program; to provide for certain powers and duties for
the department of agriculture; and to provide for the dissemination
of certain information to schools and farm product producers.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "farm-
to-school grant act".
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Department" means the Michigan department of agriculture.
(b) "Farm product" means that term as defined in section 2 of
the Michigan right to farm act, 1981 PA 93, MCL 286.472.
(c) "Grant applicant" means any K-12 school or a consortium of
schools, a school district or a consortium of school districts, or
a technical assistance provider as determined by the department.
(d) "Technical assistance provider" means any person
determined by the department to be skilled and qualified in
assisting a grant applicant in fulfilling the purpose of a grant
awarded under this act by the department.
Sec. 3. (1) The department shall establish a farm-to-school
grant program to award local grants to grant applicants designed to
aid the grant applicants to develop relationships with local
farmers and producers.
(2) The department may accept money from state appropriations,
federal grant programs, private donations, or any other source to
fund the program.
(3) Grant applicants may apply to the department for a grant
for any of the following:
(a) To fund equipment, resources, training, or materials that
will help to increase the use of local farm products in a school
food service program.
(b) To fund items including, but not limited to, local farm
products that will aid teachers to use hands-on educational
techniques to teach students about nutrition and farm-to-school
connections.
(c) To provide for professional development and technical
assistance to help teachers educate students about nutrition and
farm-to-school connections.
(4) The department shall determine whether there is
significant interest in the school or school district regarding the
development of farm-to-school connections and education.
(5) A grant shall not exceed $15,000.00 per grant applicant.
(6) The department shall work with and utilize existing
programs and organizations to develop and implement the
opportunities of farm product producers to increase their market
through selling their farm products to schools and school
districts.
Sec. 4. The department shall, in conjunction with grantees,
make an effort to identify local farm product producers,
processors, and suppliers and work with grantees to disseminate
information on food procurement procedures available to schools and
school districts to help both producers and schools to access local
farm products. The department shall cooperate with commodity
groups, growers, and producer organizations to utilize existing
web-based marketing tools.
Sec. 5. The department, in consultation with farm product
producers, school districts, and schools, may promulgate rules
under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL
24.201 to 24.328, to establish the criteria for awarding grants and
for the administration of this act.