Sec. 22-38d. Farm to school program. Connecticut-Grown for Connecticut Kids Week.
Sec. 22-38d. Farm to school program. Connecticut-Grown for Connecticut
Kids Week. (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, 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.)
History: P.A. 06-135 effective July 1, 2006.