Bill Text: NJ A4754 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Departments of Agriculture and Education to cooperatively implement new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative to promote and facilitate increased procurement and use of local and regional foods for school meals program purposes.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-19 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee [A4754 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A4754-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEX SAUICKIE
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Departments of Agriculture and Education to cooperatively implement new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative to promote and facilitate increased procurement and use of local and regional foods for school meals program purposes.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the procurement of local and regional foods, food products, and ingredients for school meals program purposes, amending P.L.2022, c.104, and supplementing chapter 33 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-3.2) is amended to read as follows:
1. As used in this chapter:
"Categorically eligible" means that a student is homeless, is a migrant child, is a runaway child, is a foster child, or is a Head Start child, as defined in 7 C.F.R. Part 245, or is receiving assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or, to the extent that the United States Department of Agriculture authorizes the matching of Medicaid data to identify children who are eligible for free school meals, is a participant in the Medicaid program, and which student, by virtue of such status, is automatically eligible to be certified to receive free school meals under the National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program, without first submitting an application or being subject to the federal income verification requirements established by 7 C.F.R. Part 245.
"Community Eligibility Provision" means a type of special assistance alternative, identified at 7 C.F.R. Part 245, pursuant to which the United States Department of Agriculture provides reimbursement for free school meals that are provided by eligible, high-poverty local educational agencies and schools that participate in both the National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program.
"Eligible student" means a student who is categorically eligible or income-eligible for one or more subsidized school meals.
"Emergency meals distribution program" means a program, established under section 1 of P.L.2020, c.6 (C.18A:33-27.2), pursuant to which a school district is required to provide subsidized school meals to eligible students, through designated distribution sites, during any period in which a school in the district is subject to a public health-related closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Federal School Breakfast Program" means the federal reimbursement program, established under the "Child Nutrition Act of 1966," 42 U.S.C. s.1771 et seq., pursuant to which the United States Department of Agriculture is authorized to provide grants-in-aid and other assistance to the States, as may be necessary to help finance the establishment, maintenance, operation, and expansion of school breakfast programs and facilitate the provision of free and reduced price breakfasts to eligible students.
"Federally eligible for free or reduced price meals" or "federally eligible" means that a student is categorically eligible for free lunch under the National School Lunch Program or for free breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program, or that the student satisfies federal income eligibility requirements, adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 7 C.F.R. Part 245, as is necessary to federally qualify for and receive free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Program or free or reduced price breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program.
"Federally ineligible for free or reduced price meals" or "federally ineligible" means that a student is not categorically eligible for, and fails to satisfy federal income eligibility requirements, adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 7 C.F.R. Part 245, as is necessary for the student to federally qualify for and receive free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Program or free or reduced price breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program.
"Food service management company" means a commercial enterprise or nonprofit organization that is or may be contracted by a school food authority to manage the daily provision of school meals, or any other aspect of a school meal service that is provided, to students at one or more participating schools in the State.
"Income-eligible" means that a student either satisfies federal income eligibility requirements, adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture pursuant to 7 C.F.R. Part 245, or satisfies State-level income eligibility requirements, set forth in subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4) or subsection a. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-14a), as is necessary for the student to qualify for and receive subsidized lunch under the National School Lunch Program or subsidized breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program, on the basis of income.
"Low-income family" means a family with an annual household income amounting to not more than 185 percent of the federal poverty level.
"Middle-income family" means a family with an annual household income amounting to not less than 186 percent, and not more than 224 percent, of the federal poverty level.
"National School Lunch Program" means the federal reimbursement program established under the "Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act," 42 U.S.C. s.1751 et seq., pursuant to which the United States Department of Agriculture is authorized to provide grants-in-aid and other assistance to the States, as may be necessary to help finance the establishment, maintenance, operation, and expansion of school lunch programs and facilitate the provision of free and reduced price lunches to eligible students.
"Participating school" means a public or nonpublic school that provides daily lunch to enrolled students, through a school lunch program operated pursuant to the National School Lunch Program, or that provides daily breakfast to enrolled students, through a school breakfast program or breakfast after the bell program operated pursuant to the federal School Breakfast Program, or both.
"Participating school district or nonpublic school" means a public school district or a nonpublic school that is required, or elects, to participate in the National School Lunch Program, the federal School Breakfast Program, or both, as the case may be.
"School breakfast program" means a program that is established and operated by a public or nonpublic school, in accordance with the requirements of the federal School Breakfast Program and, in the case of a public school, in accordance with a plan adopted pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2003, c.4 (C.18A:33-10) or section 6 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-10.1), and pursuant to which the school offers daily breakfasts to all enrolled students.
"School food authority" means the entity that is responsible for providing, or for contracting with appropriate food service management companies or third-party food service vendors to provide, meal services to students at one or more participating schools in the State, pursuant to, and for the purposes of, the National School Lunch Program or federal School Breakfast Program, or both.
"School lunch program" means a program that is established and operated by a school district, or by a nonpublic school, in accordance with the requirements of the National School Lunch Program and the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4), and pursuant to which the district or nonpublic school offers daily lunches to all students enrolled therein.
"Special assistance alternative" means a special nutrition assistance alternative federal reimbursement method that is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s.1759a and 7 C.F.R. Part 245, for eligible schools that serve free meals to all enrolled students. "Special assistance alternative" includes Provision 2, Provision 3, and the Community Eligibility Provision, as described in 7 C.F.R. Part 245, as well as any other similar alternative reimbursement method that is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture, now or in the future, for schools that serve free meals to all enrolled students.
"Student" means a child 18 years of age or younger who is enrolled at a school in the State.
"Subsidized school breakfast" or "subsidized breakfast" means a school breakfast that is offered to an eligible student, free of charge, and the costs of which are reimbursed by the State or federal government, as provided by subsections a. and b. of section 12 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-14a).
"Subsidized school lunch" or "subsidized lunch" means a school lunch that is offered to an eligible student, free of charge, and the costs of which are reimbursed by the State or federal government, as provided by subsections a. and b. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4).
"Subsidized school meals" or "subsidized meals" includes both subsidized school breakfasts and subsidized school lunches.
"Subsidized school meals application" means an application that identifies a student's annual household income and is completed by the student's parent or guardian, pursuant to section 16 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-21b1), subsection c. of section 1 of P.L.2015, c.15 (C.18A:33-21), or applicable federal law, and which may be used by a school district, or by a public school or nonpublic school, both for the purposes of determining whether a student is income-eligible for subsidized school meals and for the other limited purposes specified in subsection c. of section 16 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-21b1).
"Subsidized school meals certification process" or "subsidized meals certification" means the process pursuant to which a school or school district obtains and reviews a student's subsidized school meals application, or engages in the review of other relevant documentation and materials pertaining to the student, as necessary to determine whether the student is categorically eligible or income-eligible for subsidized school meals under the National School Lunch Program, or under the federal School Breakfast Program, or both.
"Summer Food Service Program" means the federal reimbursement program, established under 42 U.S.C. s.1761 and 7 C.F.R. Part 225, pursuant to which the United States Department of Agriculture is authorized to provide grants-in-aid and other assistance to the States, as may be necessary to help schools, local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, and summer camps finance the administrative and operational costs of providing meals to children, in low-income areas, during the summer months and other planned periods of school closure.
"Summer meals program" means the Summer Food Service Program, the Seamless Summer Option authorized by 42 U.S.C. s.1761, or any other similar State or federal program that is designed to ensure that children have access to nutritious meals during the summer months and other planned periods of school closure.
"Unreimbursed costs" means the costs of a school lunch or school breakfast, which costs are not eligible for reimbursement from the federal government.
"Unsubsidized school breakfast" or "unsubsidized breakfast" means a school breakfast that is offered, upon the payment of a fee, to a student who is neither categorically eligible nor income-eligible for subsidized breakfast, regardless of whether such student remains income-eligible for subsidized school lunch under the provisions of paragraph (4) of subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4), and the cost of which breakfast is not reimbursable by the State or federal government.
"Unsubsidized school lunch" or "unsubsidized lunch" means a school lunch that is offered, upon the payment of a fee, to a student who is not categorically eligible or income-eligible for subsidized lunch, and the cost of which is not reimbursable by the State or federal government.
(cf: P.L.2023, c.336, s.1)
2. (New section) a. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, working in consultation with one another, shall cooperatively establish and implement a "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, not more than 180 days after the effective date of this act.
b. The purpose and goals of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative shall be to promote and facilitate the increased and expanded procurement and use, by school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors, for school meals program purposes, and the increased selection by students, for daily consumption under the State's school meals programs, of locally and regionally produced foods, food products, and ingredients and, particularly, foods, food products, and ingredients which are produced by local farmers, local ranchers, and other local food producers or production systems in New Jersey. To that end, the initiative shall be designed to:
(1) raise Statewide awareness about the availability, for school meals program purposes, of locally and regionally produced foods, food products, and ingredients; particularly, those foods, food products, and ingredients which are or have been produced by farmers, by ranchers, or by other food producers or production systems in New Jersey;
(2) facilitate the collection and dissemination, to school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors, and to students and the parents and guardians of students throughout the State, through a centralized "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" online resource hub, of comprehensive and consolidated information relevant to the procurement of local and regional foods, food products, and ingredients, including, but not limited to, information identifying: (a) the various types of foods, food products, and ingredients which are produced by local and regional farmers, ranchers, and other food producers and production systems and, particularly, by local farmers, local ranchers, and other local food producers and production systems located in New Jersey, and which are available for procurement and use by school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors under, and for the purposes of, the State's school meals programs; (b) the local and regional farmers, ranchers, and other food producers or production systems, by name and location, which are current and active participants in the State's school meals programs, as well as the specific types of foods, food products, and ingredients being procured therefrom for school meals program purposes; and (c) the school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors which are actively engaged in the procurement of foods, food products, or ingredients from each local or regional farmer, rancher, and other food producer or production system identified pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this paragraph, as well as the name and location of each school served thereby and the types of local and regional foods, food products, and ingredients being procured for students at each such school;
(3) highlight and recognize, during each month of each year, at least one local or regional farmer, rancher, or other food producer or production system which has made significant contributions to the State's school meals programs, or which has utilized unique or particularly effective or otherwise notable means to facilitate the development or maintenance of economically productive relationships and associated food procurement arrangements with school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors, as necessary to facilitate the ongoing procurement and use of foods, food products, and ingredients produced, by the local or regional farmer, rancher, or food producer or production system, for school meals program purposes. When determining which farmers, ranchers, and food producers or production systems to monthly recognize and highlight pursuant to, and for the purposes of, this paragraph, preference shall be given to those local farmers, local ranchers, and other local food producers and production systems which are located in New Jersey;
(4) review and modify existing State regulations adopted under, and for the purposes of, the State's school meals programs, as necessary to authorize and facilitate the use of existing funds and other available resources for the purpose of promoting, encouraging, and facilitating the development of more productive and longer-term food procurement arrangements between school food authorities, food service management companies, and local and regional farmers, ranchers, and other food producers and production systems, particularly those located in New Jersey; and
(5) take other appropriate actions to promote, encourage, and facilitate the increased procurement and use, by schools, school districts, school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food service vendors, and the increased distribution to students, for school meals program purposes, of foods, food products, and ingredients produced by local and regional farmers, ranchers, and other food producers and food production systems, particularly those located in New Jersey.
3. The Secretary of Agriculture and the Commissioner of Education shall each adopt rules and regulations, in cooperation and consultation with each other and pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act. The rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall, at a minimum, define the physical boundaries or identify other criteria to be used, by the Departments of Agriculture and Education, and by school food authorities, food service management companies, and other third-party food vendors throughout the State, in determining whether food, food products, or ingredients are produced on a local or regional basis, for the purposes of providing for the increased and expanded procurement thereof, for school meals program purposes, pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). Any definitions or boundaries established, pursuant to this subsection, shall be consistent with relevant definitions and boundaries established, by the United States Department of Agriculture or the United States Department of Education, in association with the implementation of federal farm-to-school initiatives.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, working in cooperation and consultation with one another, to establish and implement a "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, not more than 180 days after the bill's effective date. The purpose and goals of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative would be to promote and facilitate the increased and expanded procurement and use, by school food authorities, and by associated food service management corporations and other third-party food vendors, for school meals program purposes, and the increased selection by students, for daily consumption under the State's school meals programs, of locally and regionally produced foods, food products, and ingredients, particularly, those produced by farmers, ranchers, and other food producers or production systems in New Jersey.
This legislation is intended both to increase student awareness regarding the availability and benefits of procuring and consuming foods that are grown and produced, from the land, by individual farmers, ranchers, and other food producers in the local and regional area, and to encourage the increased purchasing and consumption, by students, of these types of locally and regionally produced, land-derived foods, as an alternative to other types of foods commonly sold by supermarkets, corner stores, and drive-through establishments. By putting a local face to the food students are eating, the State can more directly show students the benefits of eating locally and regionally grown foods, and can better demonstrate how the use of money to purchase goods produced by such local and regional farmers, ranchers, and other, similar land-based food producers can ultimately help local communities thrive.
