(a) There is established, within the Department of Agriculture, a farm to school program. In consultation with the Department of Education, the program shall facilitate and promote the sale of Connecticut-grown farm products by farms to school districts, individual schools and other educational institutions under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education. Through the farm to school program, the Department of Agriculture shall (1) encourage and solicit Connecticut farmers to sell their products to such districts, schools and other educational institutions, (2) develop and regularly update a database of farmers interested in selling their products to Connecticut schools, including the types and amounts of products the farmers want to sell and the time periods during which the farmers want to sell, (3) in consultation with the Department of Education, facilitate purchases from local farmers by such interested districts, schools and other educational institutions, provided any person who sells any farm product as Connecticut-grown to such a district, school or educational institution shall offer proof to such district, school or educational institution that such farm product was produced in Connecticut, including, but not limited to, the name of the person or business that produced the farm product and the name and address of the farm where such farm product was produced, and (4) provide outreach and guidance to farmers concerning the value of and procedure for selling their products to such interested districts, schools and other educational institutions.

(b) The Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, school food service directors and interested farming organizations, shall (1) establish a week-long promotional event, to be known as Connecticut-Grown for Connecticut Kids Week, in late September or early October each year, that will promote Connecticut agriculture and foods to children through school meal and classroom programs, at farms, farmers' markets and other locations in the community, (2) encourage and solicit school districts, individual schools and other educational institutions under its jurisdiction to purchase Connecticut-grown farm products, (3) provide outreach, guidance and training to districts, parent and teacher organizations, schools and school food service directors concerning the value of and procedure for purchasing and incorporating into their regular menus Connecticut-grown farm products, (4) in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, arrange for local, regional and state-wide events where potential purchasers and farmers can interact, and (5) arrange for interaction between students and farmers, including field trips to farms and in-school presentations by farmers.

(P.A. 06-135, S. 21; P.A. 18-73, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-135 effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 18-73 amended Subsec. (a)(3) by adding provision re person selling farm product as Connecticut-grown to school district, school or educational institution offer proof that product was produced in Connecticut.