2015 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 09 - Education and Culture
Chapter 336 - Conduct of Schools Generally
Section 336.431 - Farm-to-School Grant Programs to purchase Oregon food products and to fund certain educational activities; rules; administrative costs.

(1) The Department of Education shall administer a Farm-to-School Grant Program as provided by this section.

(2) A school district may apply to the department for a grant as follows:

(a) As a noncompetitive grant to assist the school district with paying for costs incurred by the school district to purchase food produced or processed in this state; or

(b) As a competitive grant to fund food-based, agriculture-based and garden-based educational activities in the school district.

(3)(a) Based on a noncompetitive process, the department shall provide grants to school districts to assist in paying for costs incurred by the school district to purchase food produced or processed in this state. The amount of a grant awarded as provided by this subsection shall be determined by the department based on the number of lunches served by the school district during the previous school year under the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program.

(b) A school district that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the moneys for the costs incurred by the school district to purchase food products that were:

(A) Purchased on or after the date the school district received notification from the Department of Education of the amount to be distributed to the school district as provided by this subsection;

(B) Produced or processed in this state; and

(C) Used for meals that are served as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s child nutrition programs.

(4)(a) Based on a competitive process, the department shall provide grants to school districts or nonprofit organizations, or commodity commissions or councils organized under ORS 576.051 to 576.455 or ORS chapter 577 or 578, to assist in paying the costs incurred to provide food-based, agriculture-based or garden-based educational activities in the school district.

(b) An entity identified in paragraph (a) of this subsection that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the moneys for costs directly associated with the educational activities, including staff time, travel costs and equipment purchased for the activities.

(c) When awarding grants under this subsection, preference shall be given to entities that propose educational activities that:

(A) Are well designed;

(B) Promote healthy food activities;

(C) Have clear educational objectives;

(D) Involve parents or the community;

(E) Are connected to a school district’s farm-to-school procurement activities; and

(F) Are culturally relevant to the students being served by the grant moneys.

(d) The department must ensure that the recipients of grants under this subsection:

(A) Represent a variety of school sizes and geographic locations; and

(B) Serve a high percentage of children who qualify for free or reduced price school meals under the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program.

(5) The Department of Education shall consult with the State Department of Agriculture to:

(a) Develop rules and standards related to the grants awarded under this section.

(b) Determine the recipients and amounts of grants awarded under this section.

(6) The Department of Education may expend for the administrative costs incurred under this section no more than two percent of all moneys received by the department for the grant program.

[2011 c.663 §2; 2013 c.652 §1; 2015 c.840 §13]