Bill Text: HI HR194 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Resolution 194 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: School Meals; Agricultural Products; Agriculture Education

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-21 - (H) Referred to EDN, AGR, FIN, referral sheet 43 [HR194 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-HR194-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	194
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

Requesting the incorporation of local agricultural products in school meals and expansion of the agriculture education program for public schools to allow students to work, volunteer, or study at farms.

WHEREAS, pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 121, S.D. 1, H.D. 1 (2009), the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, in collaboration with various entities, submitted a report to the 2010 regular session of the Legislature on the feasibility of establishing a farm-to-school program to provide locally produced fruits and vegetables for public school meals; and

WHEREAS, although the report found various impediments to the establishment of a farm-to-school program, the report also noted that such a program would provide a "win-win" arrangement that improves the quality of food served to school children, promotes long-term healthy eating habits, and enriches agricultural education, while providing local farmers new and potentially lucrative markets; and

WHEREAS, business transactions between local farms and schools keep dollars in the local economy and create jobs; and

WHEREAS, selling agricultural products to schools can be particularly important for beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers because schools provide a consistent and secure customer base; and

WHEREAS, another means of promoting agricultural education in school activities is to provide opportunities for students to work, volunteer, or study at farms; and

WHEREAS, section 302A-431.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Department of Education to establish and administer a comprehensive agriculture education program that teaches students healthy eating habits and promotes careers in culinary arts, farming, diversified agriculture, landscaping, aquaculture, and related fields such as market development and science and technology; and

WHEREAS, the agriculture education program may provide opportunities for students to work, volunteer, or study at farms as part of school projects or student volunteer opportunities, and to obtain school credit or fulfill public service requirements; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that the Department of Education is requested to require each public school with a school meals program to serve, at least once each week, agricultural products purchased from a farm located within the school's regional administrative district; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to consider expanding the agriculture education program to provide opportunities for students to work, volunteer, or study at farms within a school's regional administrative district, including accommodations for school or class projects, student volunteer opportunities, and the provision of school credit or fulfillment of public service requirements; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education.