AB 1009: Farm to Community Food Hub Program.
- Session Year: 2021-2022
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2021-10-07
Existing law creates the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, which is under the control of the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to Community Food Hub Program, which would be administered by the office. The bill would authorize the department to consult with outside entities who possess expertise in specified areas, including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program. The bill would require the secretary to establish an advisory committee, composed as specified, for the purpose of advising the secretary with respect to their responsibilities regarding the program.
The bill would require that the program incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by nonprofit organizations, school districts, county offices of education, cooperatives, food and agriculture-related businesses, or Certified B Corporations. The bill would require a farm to community food hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following state labor practices, to prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, and to ensure that farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, the office to solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs and award planning grants to selected proposals. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, the office to select at least 3 of the proposals that were awarded planning grants during the first phase and award to those proposals development grants for capital and operating expenses of the farm to community food hub for a 5-year period. The bill would require, for at least 5 years following the initial award of that development grant funding, the office to provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028.
Existing law creates the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, which is under the control of the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to Community Food Hub Program, which would be administered by the office. The bill would authorize the department to consult with outside entities who possess expertise in specified areas, including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program. The bill would require the secretary to establish an advisory committee, composed as specified, for the purpose of advising the secretary with respect to their responsibilities regarding the program.
The bill would require that the program incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by nonprofit organizations, school districts, county offices of education, cooperatives, food and agriculture-related businesses, or Certified B Corporations. The bill would require a farm to community food hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following state labor practices, to prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, and to ensure that farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, the office to solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs and award planning grants to selected proposals. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, the office to select at least 3 of the proposals that were awarded planning grants during the first phase and award to those proposals development grants for capital and operating expenses of the farm to community food hub for a 5-year period. The bill would require, for at least 5 years following the initial award of that development grant funding, the office to provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028.
Existing law establishes the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, headed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to Community Food Hub Program, to be administered by the office. The bill would authorize the department to consult with outside entities who possess expertise in specified areas, including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. The bill would require the secretary to establish an advisory committee, composed as specified, for the purpose of advising the secretary with respect to their responsibilities regarding the program.
The bill would require the program to incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by a nonprofit organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, food and agriculture-related business, or Certified B Corporation. The bill would also authorize program funding, if not exhausted after being awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by these entities, to be awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by for-profit entities. The bill would require a farm to community food hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for specified local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair state labor practices, to prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, and to ensure that farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, that the office request solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs by December 30, 2022, hubs, and award planning grants of $150,000 to selected proposals by July 15, 2023, as specified. proposals. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, that the office select at least 3 of the proposals that were awarded planning grants and award to those proposals development grants of $1,000,000 to $4,000,000 to selected farm to community food hubs by December 31, 2023, as specified. for capital and operating expenses of the farm to community food hub for a 5-year period. The bill would require, for at least 5 years following the initial award of development grant funding, the office to provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes. purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028.
Existing law establishes the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, headed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to School Community Food Hub Program, to be administered by the office. The bill would request authorize the department to consult with outside entities who possess expertise in specified areas, including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, to consult with the office on the administration of the program. Resources. The bill would require the secretary to establish an advisory committee, composed as specified, for the purpose of advising the secretary with respect to their responsibilities regarding the program.
The bill would require the program to incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school community food hubs, which may be founded by charter as operated by a nonprofit organization or a organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, or Certified B Corporation. The bill would also authorize program funding, if not exhausted after being awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by these entities, to be awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by for-profit entities. The bill would require a farm to school community food hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for specified local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair labor practices, and to prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations. organizations, and to ensure that farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, that the office request proposals to create farm to school community food hubs by June 30, 2022, December 30, 2022, and award and distribute planning grants of $150,000 to selected proposals by December 15, 2022, July 15, 2023, as specified. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, that the office distribute award development grants of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 $4,000,000 to selected farm to school community food hubs by December 31, 2023, as specified. The bill would require, for at least 5 years following the initial distribution award of development grant funding, the office to provide an annual report on the status of the farm to school community food hubs to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.
Existing law establishes the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, headed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to School Food Hub Program, to be administered by the office. The bill would request the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis and within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, to consult with the office on the administration of the program. The bill would require the secretary to establish an advisory committee, composed as specified, to provide advice to and oversight of the program. for the purpose of advising the secretary with respect to their responsibilities regarding the program.
This
The bill would require the program to incentivize the creation and permanency of not-for-profit public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school food hubs, each of which would which may be founded by charter as a nonprofit organization or a Certified B Corporation. The bill would require a farm to school food hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for specified local or regional farms or ranches and distribute ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair labor practices, and to prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, that the office request proposals to create farm to school food hubs by June 30, 2022, and award and distribute planning grants of $150,000 to selected proposals by December 15, 2022, as specified. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, that the office distribute development grants of up $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 to selected farm to school food hubs by December 31, 2023, as specified. The bill would require, for at least 5 years following the initial distribution of development grant funding, the office to provide an annual report on the status of the farm to school food hubs to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.
Existing law establishes the Office of Farm to Fork within the Department of Food and Agriculture, and requires the office, to the extent that resources are available, to work with various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to increase the amount of agricultural products available to underserved communities and schools in the state.
This bill would establish the Farm to School Food Hub Program, to be administered by the office. The bill would request the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis and within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, to consult with the office on the administration of the program. The bill would require an advisory committee, composed as specified, to provide advice to and oversight of the program.
This bill would require the program to incentivize the creation and permanency of not-for-profit aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school hubs, each of which would be founded by charter as a nonprofit organization or a Certified B Corporation. The bill would require a farm to school hub to serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for specified local or regional farms or ranches and distribute food products from those farms or ranches to public institutions and nonprofit organizations.
The bill would require, for the first phase of the program, that the office request proposals to create farm to school hubs by June 30, 2022, and award and distribute grants of $150,000 to selected proposals by December 15, 2022, as specified. The bill would require, for the second phase of the program, that the office distribute grants of up to $5,000,000 to selected farm to school hubs by December 31, 2023, as specified. The bill would make the implementation of the program contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the department.
(d)Program means the Farm to Community Food Hub Program.
(e)Socially disadvantaged has the same definition as in Section 512.
(f)Sustainable agriculture production practices or methods means practices, including, but not limited to, organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest management, and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods, as identified by the department.
591.(a)The Farm to Community Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of piloting investments in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate-smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the department. The department may consult with outside entities who possess expertise in the operation of food hubs and the areas described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(c)(1)The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to Community Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2)The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3)(A)The advisory committee shall be composed of 10 members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, three members from southern California, and one member who is a farmer or rancher, as described in subparagraph (E), who may be selected from any one of the three regions. Each member may have an alternate.
(B)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, including K-12 schools, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(D)One member and their alternate shall be a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(E)One member and their alternate shall be a farmer or rancher who qualifies as one or more of the following:
(i)Socially disadvantaged.
(ii)Beginning.
(iii)Limited resource.
(iv)A veteran.
(v)Disabled.
(vi)Operates a farm or ranch that is 500 acres or less.
(4)The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5)An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6)An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7)Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8)The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the 10 members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by a nonprofit organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, food and agriculture-related business, or Certified B Corporation. A farm to community food hub shall do all of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following state labor practices. The farm to community food hub shall prioritize, to the greatest extent possible, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are 500 acres or less, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, or disabled.
(2)Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, such as a produce, grain, meat, or seafood processor, provided that the food products are ultimately provided on a prioritized basis to public institutions or nonprofit organizations.
(3)Ensure that the farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations, including labor and environmental requirements and standards.
(b)The program shall be administered in two phases, as follows:
(1)During the first phase of the program, the office shall solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a), and award planning grants to selected proposals.
(2)During the second phase of the program, the office shall select at least three of the proposals awarded planning grants pursuant to paragraph (1) and award to those proposals development grants for capital and operating expenses of each farm to community food hub for a five-year period.
(c)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), a farm to community food hub shall report to the office and advisory committee every quarter for five years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(d)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, for at least five years following the initial award of development grant funding pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the office shall provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include information on the progress of the farm to community food hubs in all of the following areas:
(1)Financial viability of self-sustainability.
(2)The number and type, with respect to size and ownership, of farms from which food products were sourced, and the volumes of food products sourced from each farm.
(3)The number and type of institutions served by farm to community food hubs, and the volumes of food products provided to each institution.
(e)The program or a farm to community food hub awarded a development grant pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) may accept federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources of funding.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
594.This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2028, deletes or extends that date.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the department.
(d)Program means the Farm to Community Food Hub Program.
(e)Socially disadvantaged has the same definition as in Section 512.
(f)Sustainable agriculture production practices or methods means practices, including, but not limited to, organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest management, and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods, as identified by the department.
591.(a)The Farm to Community Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of piloting investments in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate-smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the department. The department may consult with outside entities who possess expertise in the operation of food hubs and the areas described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(c)(1)The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to Community Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2)The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3)(A)The advisory committee shall be composed of 10 members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, three members from southern California, and one member who is a farmer or rancher, as described in subparagraph (E), who may be selected from any one of the three regions. Each member may have an alternate.
(B)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, including K-12 schools, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(D)One member and their alternate shall be a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(E)One member and their alternate shall be a farmer or rancher who qualifies as one or more of the following:
(i)Socially disadvantaged.
(ii)Beginning.
(iii)Limited resource.
(iv)A veteran.
(v)Disabled.
(vi)Operates a farm or ranch that is 500 acres or less.
(4)The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5)An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6)An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7)Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8)The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the 10 members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by a nonprofit organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, food and agriculture-related business, or Certified B Corporation. A farm to community food hub shall do all of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following state labor practices. The farm to community food hub shall prioritize, to the greatest extent possible, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are 500 acres or less, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, or disabled.
(2)Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, such as a produce, grain, meat, or seafood processor, provided that the food products are ultimately provided on a prioritized basis to public institutions or nonprofit organizations.
(3)Ensure that the farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations, including labor and environmental requirements and standards.
(b)The program shall be administered in two phases, as follows:
(1)During the first phase of the program, the office shall solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a), and award planning grants to selected proposals.
(2)During the second phase of the program, the office shall select at least three of the proposals awarded planning grants pursuant to paragraph (1) and award to those proposals development grants for capital and operating expenses of each farm to community food hub for a five-year period.
(c)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), a farm to community food hub shall report to the office and advisory committee every quarter for five years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(d)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, for at least five years following the initial award of development grant funding pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the office shall provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include information on the progress of the farm to community food hubs in all of the following areas:
(1)Financial viability of self-sustainability.
(2)The number and type, with respect to size and ownership, of farms from which food products were sourced, and the volumes of food products sourced from each farm.
(3)The number and type of institutions served by farm to community food hubs, and the volumes of food products provided to each institution.
(e)The program or a farm to community food hub awarded a development grant pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) may accept federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources of funding.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
594.This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2028, deletes or extends that date.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Fair labor means labor that is consistent with state labor laws.(c)(b)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(d)(c)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the department.
(e)(d)Program means the Farm to Community Food Hub Program.
(f)(e)Socially disadvantaged has the same definition as in Section 512.
(g)(f)Sustainable agriculture production practices or methods means practices, including, but not limited to, organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest management, and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods, as identified by the department, designed to accomplish all of the following: department.
(1)The control of pests and diseases of agricultural importance through alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and petrochemicals.(2)The production, processing, and distribution of food and fiber in ways that consider the interactions among soil, plants, water, air, animals, tillage, machinery, labor, energy, and transportation to enhance agricultural efficiency, public health, and resource conservation.(3)Climate-smart agricultural management that improves soil health and the health of communities, increases resilience to climate change, protects and conserves water, and protects air quality and biodiversity.591.(a)The Farm to Community Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of investing piloting investments in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate-smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the department. The department may consult with outside entities who possess expertise in the operation of food hubs and the areas described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(c)(1)The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to Community Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2)The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3)(A)The advisory committee shall be composed of ten 10 members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, three members from southern California, and one member who is a farmer or rancher, as described in subparagraph (E), who may be selected from any one of the three regions. Each member may have an alternate.
(B)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C)Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, including K-12 schools, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, fair labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(D)One member and their alternate shall be a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(E)One member and their alternate shall be a farmer or rancher who qualifies as one or more of the following:
(i)Socially disadvantaged.
(ii)Beginning.
(iii)Limited resource.
(iv)A veteran.
(v)Disabled.
(vi)Operates a farm or ranch that is 500 acres or less.
(4)The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5)An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6)An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7)Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8)The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the nine 10 members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to community food hubs, which may be operated by a nonprofit organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, food and agriculture-related business, or Certified B Corporation. If program funding is not exhausted after being awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by these entities, program funding may be awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by for-profit entities. A farm to community food hub shall do all of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair state labor practices. The farm to community food hub shall prioritize, to the greatest extent possible, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are 500 acres or less, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, or disabled.
(2)Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, such as a produce, grain, meat, or seafood processor, provided that the food products are ultimately provided on a prioritized basis to public institutions or nonprofit organizations.
(3)Ensure that the farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations, including labor and environmental requirements and standards.
(b)The first phase of the program shall be administered as follows:(1)By December 30, 2022, the office shall request proposals for planning grants to create farm to community food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a). Proposals shall include a five-year business plan, and shall be submitted to the office by April 30, 2023.(2)The office shall award planning grants of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) each to three proposals based in northern California, three proposals based in central California, and three proposals based in southern California. The planning grants shall be awarded by July 15, 2023.(3)One million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,850,000) shall be available for the first phase of the program. Of those funds, one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,350,000) shall be used for planning grant awards, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for grant administration and advisory committee management, and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for technical support.(c)The second phase of the program shall be administered as follows:(1)By December 31, 2023, the office shall select proposals submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and award development grants of one million dollars ($1,000,000) to four million dollars ($4,000,000) each for capital and operating expenses for use over a five-year period to at least one farm to community food hub in northern California, at least one farm to community food hub in central California, and at least one farm to community food hub in southern California. The office may, in its discretion, disburse the development grant funds in annual increments.(2)Thirteen million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($13,150,000) shall be available for the second phase of the program. Of those funds, twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) shall be used for development grant awards and one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,150,000) shall be used for grant administration, advisory committee management, and technical support over a five-year period.(b)The program shall be administered in two phases, as follows:
(1)During the first phase of the program, the office shall solicit and select proposals throughout the state to create farm to community food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a), and award planning grants to selected proposals.
(2)During the second phase of the program, the office shall select at least three of the proposals awarded planning grants pursuant to paragraph (1) and award to those proposals development grants for capital and operating expenses of each farm to community food hub for a five-year period.
(3)(c)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to this subdivision, paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), a farm to community food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report to the office and advisory committee every quarter for two five years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(4)(d)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, for at least five years following the initial award of development grant funding pursuant to paragraph (1), (2) of subdivision (b), the office shall provide an annual report on the status of the farm to community food hubs to the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include information on the progress of the farm to community food hubs in all of the following areas:
(A)(1)Financial viability. viability of self-sustainability.
(B)(2)The number and type, with respect to size and ownership, of farms from which food products were sourced, and the volumes of food products sourced from each farm.
(C)(3)The number and type of institutions served by farm to community food hubs, and the volumes of food products provided to each institution.
(5)A farm to community food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) may request federal or local matching funds, including, but not limited to, economic development and workforce investment funds.(e)The program or a farm to community food hub awarded a development grant pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) may accept federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources of funding.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes. purposes, including the departments administrative costs.
594.This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2028, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2028, deletes or extends that date.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Fair labor means labor that is consistent with state labor laws.
(b)(c)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c)(d)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture. department.
(d)(e)Program means the Farm to School Community Food Hub Program.
(e)Small, mid-size, or any other size, in reference to a farm or ranch, shall be identified based on annual gross cash farm income, using the farm typology developed by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.(f)Socially disadvantaged means a person who has been subject to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of the persons identity as a member of a group, including, but not limited to, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and women, without regard to their individual qualities.(f)Socially disadvantaged has the same definition as in Section 512.
(g)Sustainable agriculture production practices or methods means practices such as practices, including, but not limited to, organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest management, and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods methods, as identified by the department, designed to accomplish both all of the following:
(1)The control of pests and diseases of agricultural importance through alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and petrochemicals.
(2)The production, processing, and distribution of food and fiber in ways that consider the interactions among soil, plants, water, air, animals, tillage, machinery, labor, energy, and transportation to enhance agricultural efficiency, public health, and resource conservation.
(3)Climate-smart agricultural management that improves soil health and the health of communities, increases resilience to climate change, protects and conserves water, and protects air quality and biodiversity.
591.(a)The Farm to School Community Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of investing in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate adaptation friendly, climate-smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture. department. The department may consult with outside entities who possess expertise in the operation of food hubs and the areas described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, is requested to consult with the office on the administration of the program. Resources.
(c)(1)The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to School Community Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2)The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3)(A)The advisory committee shall be composed of nine ten members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, and three members from southern California. California, and one member who is a farmer or rancher, as described in subparagraph (E), who may be selected from any one of the three regions. Each member may have an alternate.
(B)Four to five members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C)Four to five members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, including K-12 schools, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, fair labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(D)One member and their alternate shall be a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(E)One member and their alternate shall be a farmer or rancher who qualifies as one or more of the following:
(i)Socially disadvantaged.
(ii)Beginning.
(iii)Limited resource.
(iv)A veteran.
(v)Disabled.
(vi)Operates a farm or ranch that is 500 acres or less.
(4)The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5)An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6)An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7)Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8)The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the nine members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school community food hubs, which may be founded by charter as operated by a nonprofit organization or a organization, school district, county office of education, cooperative, or Certified B Corporation. If program funding is not exhausted after being awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by these entities, program funding may be awarded to proposals to create farm to community food hubs operated by for-profit entities. A farm to school community food hub shall do both all of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair labor practices. The farm to school community food hub shall prioritize, to the greatest extent possible, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are small to mid-size, 500 acres or less, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, minorities, or disabled.
(2)Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, such as a produce, grain, meat, or seafood processor, provided that the food products are ultimately provided on a prioritized basis to public institutions or nonprofit organizations.
(3)Ensure that the farms and ranches with which it works comply with all laws, rules, and regulations, including labor and environmental requirements and standards.
(b)The first phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By June December 30, 2022, the office shall request proposals for planning grants to create farm to school community food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a). Proposals shall include a five-year business plan, and shall be submitted to the office by September 30, 2022. April 30, 2023.
(2)The office shall award planning grants of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) each to three proposals based in northern California, three proposals based in central California, and three proposals based in southern California. The planning grants shall be distributed awarded by December 15, 2022. July 15, 2023.
(3)One million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,850,000) shall be available for the first phase of the program. Of those funds, one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,350,000) shall be used for planning grant disbursement, awards, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for grant administration and advisory committee management, and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for technical support.
(c)The second phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By December 31, 2023, the office shall select proposals submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and distribute award development grants of one million dollars ($1,000,000) to five four million dollars ($5,000,000) ($4,000,000) each for capital and operating expenses for use over a five-year period to at least one farm to school community food hub in northern California, at least one farm to school community food hub in central California, and at least one farm to school community food hub in southern California. The office may, in its discretion, disburse the development grant funds in annual increments.
(2)Thirteen million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($13,150,000) shall be available for the second phase of the program. Of those funds, twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) shall be used for development grant awards and one million one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,150,000) shall be used for grant administration, advisory committee management, and technical support over a five-year period.
(2)(3)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to this subdivision, a farm to school community food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report to the office and advisory committee every quarter for two years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(3)(4)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, for at least five years following the initial distribution award of development grant funding pursuant to paragraph (1), the office shall provide an annual report on the status of the farm to school community food hubs to the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include information on the progress of the farm to school community food hubs in all of the following areas:
(A)Financial viability.
(B)The number and type, with respect to size and ownership, of farms from which food products were sourced, and the volumes of food products sourced from each farm.
(C)The number and type of institutions served by farm to school community food hubs, and the volumes of food products provided to each institution.
(4)(5)A farm to school community food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) may request federal or local matching funds, including, but not limited to, economic development and workforce investment funds.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture.
(d)Program means the Farm to School Food Hub Program.
(e)Small, mid-size, or any other size, in reference to a farm or ranch, shall be identified based on annual gross cash farm income, using the farm typology developed by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
(e)(f)Socially disadvantaged means a person who has been subject to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of the persons identity as a member of a group, including, but not limited to, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and women, without regard to their individual qualities.
(g)Sustainable agriculture production practices or methods means practices such as organic methods, biological control, and integrated pest management, and ecologically beneficial means of soil improvement, irrigation, cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and marketing for California agriculture based on methods designed to accomplish both of the following:
(1)The control of pests and diseases of agricultural importance through alternatives that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and petrochemicals.
(2)The production, processing, and distribution of food and fiber in ways that consider the interactions among soil, plants, water, air, animals, tillage, machinery, labor, energy, and transportation to enhance agricultural efficiency, public health, and resource conservation.
591.(a)The Farm to School Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of investing in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, climate-friendly, environmentally sustainable, climate adaptation friendly, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers. workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture. The Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis and within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, is requested to consult with the office on the administration of the program.
(c)An advisory committee shall provide advice to and oversight of the program. The committee shall be composed of nine members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, and three members from southern California. Each member shall be one of the following:(1)An executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.(2)An executive or director of a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, fair labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.(c)(1)The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to School Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2)The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3)(A)The advisory committee shall be composed of nine members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, and three members from southern California. Each member may have an alternate.
(B)Four to five members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C)Four to five members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, fair labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(4)The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5)An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6)An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7)Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8)The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the nine members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of not-for-profit public-serving aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school food hubs, each of which shall which may be founded by charter as a nonprofit organization or a Certified B Corporation. A farm to school food hub shall do both of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches. ranches, particularly those optimizing sustainable agriculture production practices or methods and following fair labor practices. The farm to school food hub shall prioritize, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are small to mid-scale, mid-size, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, minorities, or disabled.
(2)Distribute Prioritize, to the greatest extent feasible, distributing food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, such as a produce, grain, meat, or seafood processor, provided that the food products are ultimately provided to a public institution or nonprofit organization. on a prioritized basis to public institutions or nonprofit organizations.
(b)The first phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By June 30, 2022, the office shall request proposals for planning grants to create farm to school hubs. food hubs that meet the requirements in subdivision (a). Proposals shall include a five-year business plan, and shall be submitted to the office by September 30, 2022.
(2)The office shall award planning grants of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) each to three proposals based in northern California, three proposals based in central California, and three proposals based in southern California. The planning grants shall be distributed by December 15, 2022.
(3)One million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,850,000) shall be available for the first phase of the program. Of those funds, one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,350,000) shall be used for planning grant disbursement, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for grant administration and advisory committee management, and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for technical support.
(c)The second phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By December 31, 2023, the office shall select proposals submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and distribute development grants of up one million dollars ($1,000,000) to five million dollars ($5,000,000) each for capital and operating expenses for use over a five-year period to at least one farm to school food hub in northern California, at least one farm to school food hub in central California, and at least one farm to school food hub in southern California. The office may, in its discretion, disburse the development grant funds in annual increments.
(2)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to this subdivision, a farm to school food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report to the office and advisory committee every quarter for two years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(3)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, for at least five years following the initial distribution of development grant funding pursuant to paragraph (1), the office shall provide an annual report on the status of the farm to school food hubs to the Legislature, in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include information on the progress of the farm to school food hubs in all of the following areas:
(A)Financial viability.
(B)The number and type, with respect to size and ownership, of farms from which food products were sourced, and the volumes of food products sourced from each farm.
(C)The number and type of institutions served by farm to school food hubs, and the volumes of food products provided to each institution.
(3)(4)A farm to school food hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) may request federal or local matching funds, including, but not limited to, economic development and workforce investment funds.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes.
For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:
(a)Beginning, in reference to a farmer or rancher, means a person who has materially and substantially participated in the operation of a farm or ranch for 10 years or less.
(b)Limited resource has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c)Office means the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture.
(d)Program means the Farm to School Food Hub Program.
(e)Socially disadvantaged means a person who has been subject to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of the persons identity as a member of a group, including, but not limited to, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and women, without regard to their individual qualities.
591.(a)The Farm to School Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of investing in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, climate-friendly, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers.
(b)The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture. The Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California, Davis and within University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, is requested to consult with the office on the administration of the program.
(c)An advisory committee shall provide advice to and oversight of the program. The committee shall be composed of nine members appointed by the office, with three members from northern California, three members from central California, and three members from southern California. Each member shall be one of the following:
(1)An executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(2)An executive or director of a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, fair labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
592.(a)The program shall incentivize the creation and permanency of not-for-profit aggregation and distribution enterprises, known as farm to school hubs, each of which shall be founded by charter as a nonprofit organization or a Certified B Corporation. A farm to school hub shall do both of the following:
(1)Serve as an aggregator and supply chain intermediary for local or regional farms or ranches. The farm to school hub shall prioritize, but is not limited to, serving farms or ranches that are small to mid-scale, cooperatively owned, or owned by farmers or ranchers who are socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, veterans, minorities, or disabled.
(2)Distribute food products from the farms or ranches described in paragraph (1) to public institutions and nonprofit organizations, with primary emphasis on public schools and food banks in the region. Distribution of the food products may be contracted to a value-added intermediary, provided that the food products are ultimately provided to a public institution or nonprofit organization.
(b)The first phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By June 30, 2022, the office shall request proposals to create farm to school hubs. Proposals shall include a five-year business plan, and shall be submitted to the office by September 30, 2022.
(2)The office shall award grants of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) each to three proposals based in northern California, three proposals based in central California, and three proposals based in southern California. The grants shall be distributed by December 15, 2022.
(3)One million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,850,000) shall be available for the first phase of the program. Of those funds, one million three hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,350,000) shall be used for grant disbursement, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for grant administration and committee management, and two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used for technical support.
(c)The second phase of the program shall be administered as follows:
(1)By December 31, 2023, the office shall distribute grants of up to five million dollars ($5,000,000) each for capital and operating expenses to at least one farm to school hub in northern California, at least one farm to school hub in central California, and at least one farm to school hub in southern California.
(2)As a condition of the receipt of funds pursuant to this subdivision, a farm to school hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall report to the office every quarter for two years after the receipt of the funds regarding the use of the funds.
(3)A farm to school hub selected pursuant to paragraph (1) may request federal or local matching funds, including, but not limited to, economic development and workforce investment funds.
593.The implementation of this article is contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature for its purposes.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2021 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 608, Statutes of 2021. |
| Oct 7, 2021 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep 20, 2021 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Sep 9, 2021 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 4. Page 2977.). |
| Sep 8, 2021 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
| Sep 8, 2021 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 2. Page 2528.). |
| Sep 7, 2021 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Sep 3, 2021 | Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. |
| Aug 30, 2021 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 26, 2021 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 26). |
| Jul 15, 2021 | In committee: Referred to suspense file. |
| Jul 1, 2021 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun 9, 2021 | Referred to Com. on AGRI. |
| May 28, 2021 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May 27, 2021 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 1653.) |
| May 24, 2021 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| May 20, 2021 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (May 20). |
| May 5, 2021 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr 26, 2021 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. |
| Apr 15, 2021 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr 5, 2021 | Re-referred to Com. on AGRI. |
| Mar 30, 2021 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 4, 2021 | Referred to Com. on AGRI. |
| Feb 19, 2021 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 21. |
| Feb 18, 2021 | Read first time. To print. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 2021 | AB 1009 Bloom Concurrence in Senate Amendments | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| Sep 8, 2021 | Assembly 3rd Reading AB1009 Bloom By Kamlager | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| May 27, 2021 | AB 1009 Bloom Assembly Third Reading | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):