Bill Text: IN SB0194 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Food, farms, and jobs.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-21 - Senator Becker added as coauthor [SB0194 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2010-SB0194-Introduced.html
Citations Affected: None (noncode).
Synopsis: Food, farms, and jobs. Establishes the local and organic
food and farm task force to create a plan to expand and support a local
and organic food system.
Effective: July 1, 2010.
January 5, 2010, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and Small
Business.
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
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A BILL FOR AN ACT concerning agriculture and animals.
(b) The Indiana local and organic food and farm task force is established to develop a plan with policy and funding recommendations to:
(1) expand and support a local and organic food system; and
(2) assess and overcome obstacles to increasing locally grown food and local organic food production.
(c) The governor shall appoint members to the task force. The task force shall be staffed by the Indiana state department of agriculture. Members serve for a term of two (2) years and must include the following:
(1) The director of the Indiana state department of agriculture or the director's designee, who shall serve as chairperson of the task force.
(2) The secretary of commerce or the secretary's designee.
(3) The secretary of family and social services or the
secretary's designee.
(4) The commissioner of the state department of health or the
commissioner's designee.
(5) Four (4) local farmers, two (2) of whom must be organic
farmers representing the following farming sectors:
(A) Dairy.
(B) Meat.
(C) Vegetable.
(D) Grain.
(6) Seven (7) specialty crop producers representing the
following sectors:
(A) Flowers.
(B) Fruits.
(C) Viticulture.
(D) Aquaculture.
(E) Fiber.
(F) Vegetable.
(G) Ornamental.
(7) Two (2) food processors, one (1) of whom must be a
processor of organic food and one (1) of whom must be a
processor of local food.
(8) One (1) organic food distributor.
(9) One (1) nonorganic food distributor.
(10) Three (3) representatives of nonprofit educational
organizations who are engaged in supporting and expanding
local food networks.
(11) One (1) certifier of local or organic food.
(12) One (1) consumer of local or organic food.
(13) Two (2) representatives of farm organizations.
(14) One (1) representative of Purdue University, School of
Agriculture.
(15) One (1) representative of a nonprofit organization
involved in the distribution of food.
(16) One (1) local food retailer who sells food at farmers
markets.
(17) Two (2) representatives of local government.
(18) Four (4) representatives from community based
organizations focusing on food access, at least three (3) of
whom must be minority members.
(19) One (1) chef specializing in the preparation of organic
foods.
(d) The expenses of the task force shall be paid from
appropriations made to the Indiana state department of
agriculture.
(e) Each member of the task force who is not a state employee
is entitled to the minimum salary per diem provided by
IC 4-10-11-2.1(b). The member is also entitled to reimbursement
for traveling expenses as provided under IC 4-13-1-4 and other
expenses actually incurred in connection with the member's duties
as provided in the state policies and procedures established by the
Indiana department of administration and approved by the budget
agency.
(f) Each member of the task force who is a state employee is
entitled to reimbursement for traveling expenses as provided under
IC 4-13-1-4 and other expenses actually incurred in connection
with the member's duties as provided in the state policies and
procedures established by the Indiana department of
administration and approved by the budget agency.
(g) The affirmative votes of a majority of the voting members
appointed to the task force are required for the task force to take
action on any measure, including final reports.
(h) The task force shall develop a plan that includes:
(1) policies; and
(2) funding recommendations;
for expanding and supporting local and organic food systems. The
organic food system must be designed to assess and overcome
obstacles to an increase in locally grown food and local organic
food production.
(i) The task force shall prepare and submit an interim plan to
the general assembly by October 1, 2011, and a final plan by
October 1, 2012, in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.
(j) The plan must:
(1) identify land preservation and acquisition opportunities
for local and organic agriculture in rural, suburban, and
urban areas;
(2) identify farmer training and development programs and
make recommendations to expand training programs;
(3) identify financial incentives, technical support, and
training necessary to help farmers transition to local, organic,
and specialty crop production by minimizing financial losses
during the three (3) year transition period required under
United States Department of Agriculture standards and to
help with record keeping requirements;
(4) identify strategies and funding needs to make fresh and
affordable foods more accessible, both in rural and urban
communities, with an emphasis on creating new food outlets
in Indiana;
(5) identify the financial and technical support necessary to
build connections among landowners, farmers, buyers, and
consumers;
(6) identify the financial and technical support necessary to
build a local food infrastructure of processing, storage, and
distribution;
(7) identify the financial and technical support necessary to
develop new food and agriculture related businesses for local
food and organic food production and distribution, including:
(A) on-farm processing;
(B) micromarkets;
(C) incubator kitchens; and
(D) marketing and communications businesses;
(8) identify the financial and technical support necessary:
(A) to expand the development of farmers markets,
roadside markets, and local grocery stores in unserved and
underserved areas; and
(B) to create year round public markets in large
communities;
(9) research, identify, and coordinate best practices and
opportunities for the development of local food and organic
food production;
(10) identify opportunities to educate the public and
producers about the benefits of local food systems; and
(11) identify legal impediments to local food and organic food
production and develop recommendations for a remedy to the
impediments.
(k) This SECTION expires December 31, 2012.
