(a)A farm to school and early childhood education program is established within the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of:
(1)Improving student health;
(2)Developing an educated agricultural workforce;
(3)Enriching the local farm or food products system and supporting the state's agricultural economy through the support and increase of procurement of local farm or food products for public schools;
(4)Accelerating garden and farm-based education for students; and (5) Expanding the relationships between schools and agricultural communities.
(b)(1) (A) The Department of Agriculture shall establish a full-time farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator position.
(B)The farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator shall be the administrat
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(a) A farm to school and early childhood education program is established within the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of: (1) Improving student health; (2) Developing an educated agricultural workforce; (3) Enriching the local farm or food products system and supporting the state's agricultural economy through the support and increase of procurement of local farm or food products for public schools; (4) Accelerating garden and farm-based education for students; and (5) Expanding the relationships between schools and agricultural communities. (b) (1) (A) The Department of Agriculture shall establish a full-time farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator position. (B) The farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator shall be the administrative head of the farm to school and early childhood education program. (2) The farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator shall: (A) Address the issues of supply, demand, procurement, and consumption of local farm or food products in schools and early childhood programs; and (B) Take reasonable steps to incorporate more agriculture and nutrition education into schools and early childhood programs. (c) The farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator shall implement a statewide farm to school and early childhood education program in collaboration with stakeholders, including without limitation: (1) The Child Nutrition Unit; (2) The Department of Human Services; (3) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; (4) The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service; (5) The Department of Health; and (6) Healthy Active Arkansas. (d) The farm to school and early childhood education program coordinator shall: (1) Prepare an annual report, in collaboration with stakeholders, that details the program activities conducted in furtherance of the following three (3) core elements of the farm to school and early childhood education program: (A) School gardens; (B) Food, nutrition, and agriculture education; and (C) Procurement of local farm or food products for school meals and snacks; and (2) Submit the annual report to the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development and to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development.