The bill amends Section 6C of chapter 20 of the General Laws regarding the Massachusetts Food Policy Council. It increases the number of members on the council from 18 to 20 and specifies that two of the members will be the director of the division of marine fisheries and the director of the University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, or their designees. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for compensating advisory committee members, contingent upon approval from the chief financial officer of the department of agricultural resources, and outlines the process for requesting such compensation.

Furthermore, the bill establishes the position of a full-time food system coordinator, who will be appointed by the council and will have access to relevant agency meetings. This coordinator's responsibilities include advising departments on existing state programs related to the food system, facilitating communication among agencies, tracking metrics related to food system goals, and identifying service gaps. The coordinator is also required to submit a report prior to each council meeting detailing findings, progress, and recommendations to various legislative and departmental stakeholders.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20-6C