HF2049 Summary

• Establishes a farm-to-school program administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture in consultation with University of Minnesota Extension to increase procurement of Minnesota-grown unprocessed and minimally processed food by schools and child care providers participating in federal child nutrition programs.

• Provides grants to eligible recipients (schools, school districts, and child care providers) reimbursing documented costs of Minnesota-grown food purchases, limited to five cents per meal served in the prior year and excluding transportation, packaging, and duplicate reimbursements.

• Allows up to 20 percent of grant funds to support educational activities connecting children with agriculture, including school gardens, cooking projects, farm field trips, and chef training.

• Appropriates $4,500,000 for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 to the Department of Agriculture for program administration, grant awards on a first-come, first-served basis with preference for schools with highest free and reduced-price meal percentages, and technical assistance for farmers.

• Appropriates $300,000 for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 to University of Minnesota for three new extension positions focused on farm-to-school sales assistance, with two positions required outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area.