1997 Florida Code
TITLE XXXV AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND ANIMAL INDUSTRY
Chapter 570 Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services  
570.0725   Food recovery; legislative intent; department functions.

570.0725  Food recovery; legislative intent; department functions.--

(1)  The Legislature finds that:

(a)  Millions of pounds of surplus and slightly blemished fresh fruit and vegetables are destroyed each year, while many 1residents of this state go each day without food.

(b)  Food recovery programs can beneficially aid residents of this state who lack the means to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables by providing such surplus food to governmental agencies and local volunteer and nonprofit organizations for distribution to those in need, rather than continuing to see it destroyed.

(c)  The state, through the Commissioner of Agriculture, should assist food recovery programs, when needed, to aid in their establishment and to support their continued and efficient operation.

(2)  A food recovery program is a local, volunteer-based organization near an agricultural production area of the state that is established for the exclusive purpose of soliciting, collecting, packaging, and delivering surplus fresh fruit and vegetables for distribution in communities throughout the state. Distribution of the food to the needy would be accomplished by governmental agencies and volunteer and nonprofit organizations.

(3)  In helping to coordinate the establishment of food recovery programs, the department may:

(a)  Identify suppliers, volunteers, and nonprofit organizations in the community to ascertain the level of interest in establishing a food recovery program.

(b)  Provide facilities and other resources for initial organizational meetings.

(c)  Provide direct and indirect support for the fledgling program, upon demonstration of serious interest at the local level.

(4)  The department may provide direct and indirect support to food recovery programs that are unable to obtain specific assistance from their communities or other sources by loaning equipment, facilities, and staff resources for the collection, packaging, storage, and transportation of donated food, as needed.

(5)  The department shall account for the direct and indirect costs associated with supporting food recovery programs throughout the state. It shall submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by November 1, for the previous fiscal year, when state funds are spent for this purpose. The report must include, but need not be limited to, the identity of organizations receiving funds, the amount of funds disbursed to these organizations, other uses of food recovery funds, and estimates of the amount of fresh produce recovered.

History.--s. 2, ch. 94-234; s. 13, ch. 94-335.

1Note.--Section 13, ch. 94-335, used the term "Florida citizens" instead of the word "residents."