SB141 (2014) Detail

Establishing the Granite State farm to plate program.


SB 141-FN – VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

01/30/14 0051s

23Apr2014… 1346h

06/04/14 1899CofC

2013 SESSION

13-0927

08/03

SENATE BILL 141-FN

AN ACT establishing the Granite State farm to plate program.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Sad, Ches 1; Rep. Spang, Straf 6; Rep. Kaen, Straf 5; Rep. Bixby, Straf 17

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes the Granite State farm to plate food policy and principles.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01/30/14 0051s

23Apr2014… 1346h

06/04/14 1899CofC

13-0927

08/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen

AN ACT establishing the Granite State farm to plate program.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; The Granite State Farm to Plate Food Policy and Principles. Amend RSA 425 by inserting after section 2 the following new section:

425:2-a The Granite State Farm to Plate Food Policy and Principles.

I. It is the policy of the state of New Hampshire through the department of agriculture, markets, and food and in conjunction with other state agencies to encourage and support local food producers, farming, and fisheries, including businesses engaged in agriculture, the raising and care of livestock, dairy, fishing, foraging, and aquaculture, agritourism, horticulture, orchard management, maple syrup production, and the associated local and regional businesses that process, purchase, distribute, and sell such food throughout the state.

II. State agencies, including the department of agriculture, markets, and food; the department of resources and economic development; the department of health and human services; the department of environmental services, the department of transportation, the department of education, the University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension shall strive for inter-agency cooperation as well as cooperation with public and private entities to foster local, state, and regional food systems that adhere to the Granite State farm to plate principles below:

(a) Agriculture in New Hampshire represents a vital part of both the state’s rural and urban economies and the larger food systems that connect it with the state’s local and regional economies and the public.

(b) Consumer demand from individuals and institutions, including New Hampshire public schools, universities, child care facilities, after-school programs, restaurants, hospitals, and prisons, for locally grown and produced food is growing and deserves support from the state and state agencies.

(c) Support of local food economies is vital to public health of our residents and to the viability and livability of our communities.

(d) Increased access to healthy food occurs when local and regional community-based food production, processing, aggregation, distribution, marketing, and retail work together to build markets for healthy food.

(e) New Hampshire citizens and communities face social and environmental health issues connected to food, hunger, malnutrition, incidences of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Increased access to local, healthy food is needed to address such multifaceted issues.

(f) Local and regional food economies are a vital source of employment in our communities. Promoting the growth of such local food economies will enhance economic development and job growth throughout the state.

(g) Economic development opportunities among New Hampshire’s cities and towns are facilitated by state and local governments cooperating to remove obstacles and excessive financial burdens to farms and associated businesses, including farmers’ markets, cooperatives, food hubs, fisheries, and processing centers.

(h) All levels of government shall consider the findings of the Farm Viability Task Force of 2006-2007 as well as consider advocating farmland preservation efforts that would permanently protect farmland with voluntary agricultural conservation easements that place priority on protection of agricultural resources and production to ensure our state’s future capacity to produce food.

(i) The New Hampshire dairy industry is vital to the state’s economy. It impacts state and local economies via millions of dollars in total economic output, thousands of jobs and millions more dollars in labor income. The dairy industry should be further supported through the Milk Producers Emergency Relief Fund as specified in RSA 184:107, and other methods that will encourage the success of the state’s dairy industry.

(j) Federal governmental programs provide significant opportunities for the state to obtain federal funding that supports the development of local food systems, such as use of federal benefits at farmers’ markets.

(k) Recognizing that a broad array of entities and organizations are already working together to promote New Hampshire local and regional food systems and participants, including agricultural producers, processors, distributors, and consumers, the input of such groups is vital to the construction of a more diverse and productive set of New Hampshire food systems.

III. To the extent possible, local governments shall consider the policy and principles of this section when adopting local law, or when enforcing existing law and regulation.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

LBAO

13-0927

Amended 05/07/14

SB 141-FN FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing the Granite State farm to plate program.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food states this bill, as amended by the House (Amendment #2014-1346h), will have no fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures or revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food states this bill establishes the granite state farm to plate food policy and principles. The Department states this bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures and revenue.