This bill mandates that school meal service providers prioritize the procurement of local and regional foods for students, specifically giving preference to foods produced by in-State farmers and other food producers located within a 100-mile radius of the destination school. The bill establishes new definitions, including "Food service management company," "Geographic preference requirements," and "Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program," which outline the framework for these procurement preferences. It requires that whenever a school food authority or contracted food service vendor receives federal or state funding under the Local Food for Schools program, they must prioritize sourcing foods from local producers to the greatest extent practicable.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that contracts between school food authorities and food service management companies must include provisions that ensure compliance with these geographic preference requirements. School food authorities and their contracted vendors are also required to maintain and submit documentation to the Department of Agriculture to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the procurement preferences. This legislation aims to enhance the local food economy and ensure that students have access to fresh, locally sourced food as part of their school meal programs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:33-3.2