Sec. 4050. Encouraging locally and regionally grown and raised food
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The Secretary may permit each school food authority with a low annual commodity entitlement value, as determined by the Secretary, to elect to substitute locally and regionally grown and raised food for the authority’s allotment, in whole or in part, of commodity assistance for the school meal programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. ) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq. ), if— the election is requested by the school food authority; the Secretary determines that the election will reduce State and Federal administrative costs; and the election will provide the school food authority with greater flexibility to purchase locally and regionally grown and raised foods.
The Secretary may establish farm-to-school demonstration programs under which school food authorities, agricultural producers producing for local and regional markets, and other farm-to-school stakeholders will collaborate with the Agriculture Marketing Service to, on a cost neutral basis, source food for the school meal programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. ) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq. ) from local farmers and ranchers in lieu of the commodity assistance provided to the school food authorities for the school meal programs.
Each demonstration program carried out under this subsection shall— facilitate and increase the purchase of unprocessed and minimally processed locally and regionally grown and raised agricultural products to be served under the school meal programs; test methods to improve procurement, transportation, and meal preparation processes for the school meal programs; assess whether administrative costs can be saved through increased school food authority flexibility to source locally and regionally produced foods for the school meal programs; and undertake rigorous evaluation and share information about results of the demonstration program, including cost savings, with the Secretary, other school food authorities, agricultural producers producing for the local and regional market, and the general public.
In order to be selected to carry out a demonstration program under this subsection, a school food authority shall submit to the Secretary a plan at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, and containing information with respect to the requirements described in clauses
(i)through
(iv)of subparagraph (A). The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to demonstration program participants to assist such participants to acquire bids from potential vendors in a timely and cost-effective manner. The Secretary shall determine the appropriate length of time for each demonstration program under this subsection. The Secretary shall coordinate among relevant agencies of the Department of Agriculture and non-governmental organizations with appropriate expertise to facilitate the provision of training and technical assistance necessary to successfully carry out demonstration programs under this subsection. Subject to the availability of funds to carry out this subsection, the Secretary shall select at least 10 demonstration programs to be carried out under this subsection. In selecting demonstration programs to be carried out under this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure— geographical diversity; that at least half of the demonstration programs are completed in collaboration with school food authorities with small annual commodity entitlements, as determined by the Secretary; that at least half of the demonstration programs are completed in rural or tribal communities; equitable treatment of school food authorities with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches, as determined by the Secretary; and that at least one of the demonstration programs is completed on a military installation as defined in section 2687(e)(1) of title 10, United States Code.
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