HB 17-1192

HB 17-1192 is a Colorado bill that updates and continues the work of the Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council. The council works with farmers, government agencies, schools, and other groups to improve how local food gets to people who need it, especially through programs like farm-to-school initiatives. It also helps support recommendations in the state’s blueprint for food and agriculture by conducting research on best practices and collecting data related to these efforts. Since the bill has been signed into law, the council will continue its work until September 1, 2022, focusing on connecting Colorado producers with food assistance programs and promoting local agriculture.

Official Summary

The bill repeals the interagency farm-to-school coordination task force (task force) and ends the terms of current members of the Colorado food systems advisory council (council). The bill provides for the appointment of new members to the council. The council's duties are to: Collaborate and coordinate with producers, relevant state and federal agencies, and consumers regarding linking Colorado producers, particularly specialty crop producers, with food and nutrition assistance programs; Collaborate with relevant state and federal agencies and other entities regarding the study, development, and recommendation of policies and methods to best implement the farm-to-school program; Collaborate with producers, relevant government agencies, educational institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and consumers regarding support for the recommendations in the Colorado blueprint for food and agriculture, and ensure that the blueprint, or its successor, is updated as needed; Conduct research regarding national best practices regarding food and nutrition assistance, direct and intermediated market development, and farm-to-school programs as well as other priorities determined by the council; Collaborate with, serve as a resource to, and receive input from local and regional food policy councils in the state; Explore methods of collecting and assessing statewide data relating to council activities and report the relevant information and data regarding council activities as required by current law; and Collaborate with the department of agriculture in leveraging existing domestic marketing programs that benefit Colorado agriculture. The bill extends the repeal of the council from September 1, 2018, to September 1, 2022. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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