HI HB255

Establishes a farm to school grant program within the Department of Education to provide grants to farmers participating in the Hawaii farm to school program for compliance with food safety and agricultural standards.

Grants may be used for FDA Food Safety Modernization Act compliance, USDA good agricultural practices implementation, hazard analysis procedures, farm food safety improvements, regulatory training, and price harmonization between farmer costs and school purchasing power.

Creates a farm to school grant program special fund administered by the Department of Education and establishes two new full-time positions: a farm to school grant program coordinator and a special fund manager.

Requires the Departments of Education and Agriculture to publish grant program requirements and application procedures on their public websites and to adopt rules implementing the program.

Appropriates unspecified amounts from general revenues for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 to fund the coordinator position, special fund manager position, and grants to participating farmers.