Farm-To-School Expansion Bill Considered

By Gordon HopkinsLast year saw the passage of the Farm To School Bill, initiated by Nebraska Senator Tom Brandt (District 32), become law. This year, Senator Brandt is pushing for an expansion of the program.Sometimes the idea is called Farm to Table, or some variation on that theme. In some places it is called Food Freedom. Whatever the terminology, the concept is the same: getting the food grown and raised by ag producers directly to the consumers.The purpose of the original measure connects schools across the state with local farmers and ranchers and helps those schools get locally produced food. Brandt said the bill makes sense because, at the time 90 percent of the food dollars spent in Nebraska school cafeterias goes out of state and that his bill will help correct that.The legislation also creates a full time position within the Nebraska Department of Education to coordinate efforts to connect schools with local producers.On January 5 of this year, Senator Brandt introduced LB (Legislative Bill) 758, which would further expand the reach of the program. According to the bill's statement of intent, “LB 758 would include early childhood education programs in the Nebraska Farm-to-School Program. The Nebraska Farm-to-School Program connect schools to quality local food.”“Unfortunately, the language that we passed last year was too restrictive, so that assistance could only be offered to elementary and secondary schools,” Brandt said recently. “LB758 corrects this oversight.”The bill was heard in the Legislature on Tuesday, February 8. An Education Committee amendment added that the program’s expansion would include any early childhood program licensed under the state’s Child Care Licensing Act. The amendment passed 40-0. Senators then voted to advance LB 758 43-0.

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