H.F. No. 2881 Summary

• Establishes the Headwaters Community Food and Water Economic Resiliency Program under the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development to support local and regional regenerative food webs addressing food, water, and climate challenges.

• Authorizes financial and technical assistance for organic and regenerative food producers, physical infrastructure (storage, greenhouses, distribution sites, food commons), and operational support including production, preparation, preservation, and distribution systems.

• Provides funding for research on local ecological knowledge, seed and plant exchange, and weather-resilient landscapes to restore biological diversity and groundwater.

• Establishes a permanent advisory committee comprising farmers, food hubs, culinary professionals, community organizers, scientists, and public health officials with required representation of Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders to guide program development and operation.

• Appropriates unspecified amounts from the general fund for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to the Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development for program implementation.