2015 Nebraska Revised Statutes
Chapter 2 - AGRICULTURE
2-305 Community gardens task force; members; goals; reports.

2-305. Community gardens task force; members; goals; reports.

(1) The Director of Agriculture shall establish a community gardens task force on or before August 1, 2015, to identify and develop ways to encourage state agencies, municipalities, and individuals to establish and expand community gardens. The director shall designate a chairperson of the task force. The members of the task force shall be appointed by the director and shall include no more than nine members. At least three of the members shall be representatives of nonprofit organizations involved with community gardens. The remaining members may include representation from appropriate state agencies, existing community gardens, counties, cities, towns, villages, utility districts, and school districts.

(2) The director may request the assistance of other state agencies to carry out the work of the task force.

(3) The goals of the task force may include, but are not limited to, the study, evaluation, and development of recommendations (a) to encourage the establishment and expansion of community gardens by state agencies, municipalities, and individuals, (b) to encourage cooperation between the activities and operations of community gardens and the provision of donated food to local voluntary food assistance programs for the poor and disadvantaged, and (c) to increase the benefits that community gardens may provide to the community in which they are located.

(4) In carrying out its duties under subsection (3) of this section, the task force may consider recommendations that (a) encourage the execution of conservation easements by state agencies, municipalities, or individuals to establish or protect community gardens, (b) encourage the donation or lease of lands for community gardens, (c) encourage development of model zoning codes, local land-use laws, or other municipal policies that could encourage the establishment or retention of community gardens, and (d) provide for any other activity to achieve the goals deemed appropriate by the task force.

(5) The task force shall issue a preliminary report to the Department of Agriculture and electronically to the Legislature no later than December 15, 2015, and shall issue a final report to the Department of Agriculture and electronically to the Legislature no later than December 15, 2016.

Source

• Laws 2015, LB175, § 15.
• Effective Date: May 28, 2015