Policy Database
This database includes more than 1,400 policies passed at the local and state level from across the United States. Find policies from your state or search by food systems topics, including urban agriculture, farm to school, markets and distribution, and many more.
Establishing a Farm to School Program
AK H.B. 70 2010
H.B. 70 establishes a farm to school program within the state Department of Natural Resources. The purposes of the program include strengthening the relationship between agriculture and school food procurement, expanding local markets, and improving the nutritional quality of school meals. The program also requires support for school educational activities including school gardens, school farms, and farm visits. To achieve these goals, H.B. 70 directs the Department of Natural Resources to work with the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Education and Early Development, and Department of Administration. H.B. 70 specifies that program operation is subject to appropriations and sunsets July 1, 2013.
Appropriating Money to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program
AK S.B. 160 2012
S.B. 160 appropriates $3 million to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program for fiscal year 2013. The Program’s purpose is to encourage every Alaskan school district to purchase nutritious Alaska-grown, caught, or harvested foods. The state Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development distributes funds to individual school districts. S.B. 160 is similar to S.B. 119 (2014) and S.B. 18 (2013) which also appropriated $3 million to the Program.
Appropriating Money to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program
AK S.B. 119 2014
S.B. 119 appropriates $3 million to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program for fiscal year 2015. Encourages every Alaskan school district to purchase nutritious Alaska-grown, caught, or harvested foods. Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development distributes funds to individual school districts.
Appropriating Money to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program
AK S.B. 18 2013
S.B. 18 appropriates $3 million to the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools Program for fiscal year 2014. Encourages every Alaskan school district to purchase nutritious Alaska-grown, caught, or harvested foods. Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development distributes funds to individual school districts.
Establishing a State Food Resource Development Working Group
AK H.C.R. 1 2013
H.C.R. 1 establishes a food resource development working group to collaborate with state agencies and the Alaska Food Policy Council. The goal of the working group is to identify resources and set policies that support a sustainable, healthy state food system. Specifically, the working group is responsible for (1) enhancing access, availability, affordability, and quality of food; (2) increasing economic opportunity for food production, processing, and distribution businesses; (3) recommending improvements to existing programs, policies, and regulations that affect the state’s food system; and (4) enhancing the health, safety, welfare, economic, and social well-being of the state’s residents. H.C.R. 1 also encourages the state Department of Education and Early Development to include locally produced food in school meals, establish education programs that highlight state food sources, and collaborate with farming groups to foster future generations of farmers.
Classifying businesses that provide food and other necessities of life for vulnerable individuals as "critical businesses" for the purposes of the city's "Hunker Down Order"
Anchorage, Alaska, Proclamation of Emergency “Hunker Down” Order EO-03 § 5(g)
Section 5(g) of this Hunker Down Order classifies businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged, unsheltered, or otherwise vulnerable individuals as “critical business,” which are exempt from ordered business closures and are encouraged to remain open.
Exempting certain activities, including food production, hunting, and fishing, from a general business closure order
Anchorage, Alaska, Proclamation of Emergency “Hunker Down” Order EO-03 § 5(f)
This section designates food cultivation, including fishing, hunting, farming, and livestock as “critical business” that are exempt from ordered business closures and are encouraged to remain open.
Requiring state and school district use of local agricultural and fisheries products in purchases with state money
Alaska Stat. § 36.15.050
This law sets the price preference range that must be applied to purchases of agricultural and fisheries products harvested in-state when the buyer is the state or a school district that receives state money. If out-of-state agricultural or fisheries products are purchased, the buyer must explain why in-state products were not purchased.
Establishing the conditions and criteria for award of grants by the municipal authority to nonprofit senior citizen and adult care facilities for, among other uses, low-cost meals and nutrition classes
Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Code of Ordinances § 5.22
This law establishes the conditions and criteria for award of start-up and continuing operation grants by the Kenai Peninsula Borough to nonprofit, tax exempt senior citizen centers and adult day care centers operating and located within the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Senior citizens centers are defined as facilities “where persons 60 years of age or older are provided with services and activities suited to their particular needs,” including for example, “nutrition classes,” and “meals at minimum cost.” Adult day care centers are defined to include facilities “providing nonresidential care for a group of persons that offers appropriate “recreational, physical, medical, or psychological services for persons at risk of institutional placement who are 60 years of age or older.” Organizations receiving such funds must, among other things, target services “to persons in greatest economic and social need” and prioritize transportation to access services according to an ordered list of priorities which lists “access to nutrition and other essential support services” as second in importance.
Establishing a youth advisory commission whose responsibilities include advising the mayor and city council on city issues from the youth perspective, including compiling and disseminating information regarding nutrition
Anchorage, Alaska, Code of Ordinances § 4.60.275
This law establishes a youth advisory commission whose responsibilities include advising the mayor and the Anchorage Assembly on issues, services and programs from the community’s youth perspective; conducting, compiling and disseminating information concerning health, nutrition and other services available or not available to youth; and nominating a youth representative and an alternate for appointment to the Anchorage Assembly.
Establishing a senior citizen advisory commissions whose responsibilities include advising the mayor and city council on aspects of aging, including compiling and disseminating information regarding nutrition
Anchorage, Alaska Code of Ordinances § 4.60.110
This law establishes a senior citizen advisory commission whose responsibilities include, among others, advising the mayor and the Anchorage Assembly with respect to aspects of aging which bear upon the welfare of senior citizens; and conducting surveys and compiling and disseminating information on health, nutrition and other services for the benefit of senior citizens.
Allowing for homestead tax relief via grants, so long as applicants can show that the payment of accrued homestead taxes would cause "severe hardship," defined in part as an inability to cover food security expenses
North Slope Borough, Alaska, Code of Ordinances § 3.50.060 (A)(2).
This law allows for homestead tax relief in the form of grants to discharge accrued penalty and interest. To be eligible, applicants for the grants must show that the payment of accrued homestead tax penalty and interest would “impose severe hardship” upon their household by, for example, showing that “food security and utility expenses will likely not be met.”
Prohibiting price gouging during emergencies
Anchorage, Alaska, Code of Ordinances, § 21.04.020(H)(2)(h)(vii)
This provision establishes a general gross floor area limitation of 10,000 square feet per commercial use in the City’s R-3A “residential mixed-use district,” but expressly allows grocery and food stores to exceed that limit by an additional 10,000 square feet without review beyond that specified in Table 21.05-1 of the code (specifying types of review necessary for various uses depending on district).
Directing the city's retail and grocery stores to institute certain guidelines, including "exclusive hours for those in high-risk populations"
Mobile, Ala., Order of the Mayor: Guidelines for Retail and Grocery Stores
This order directs retail and grocery stores in the City of Mobile to institute certain guidelines, including reserving “exclusive hours for those in high-risk populations, including seniors, where stores will limit their capacity to 40% of fire capacity at any time,” along with other social distancing and sanitation measures.
Establishing Farm-to-School Procurement Processes and Procedures
Ala. Code § 16-1-46
This law directs the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture and Industries to coordinate various efforts in support of farm-to-school initiatives. It creates a farm-to-school coordinator position within the state Department of Agriculture and Industries; directs the Department of Education to “encourage school food service directors to include local farmers, processors, and suppliers when procuring farm products that fall under the small purchase threshold” and to “encourage all new school construction projects to consider kitchen facilities capable of producing fresh and healthy school meals and opportunities for hands-on learning.” Pursuant to a 2017 amendment (Al. Pub. Act 421, 2017 Al. HB 53), it also allows purchases of unprocessed agricultural products under the program with simplified contracting processes if the cost of the food purchased is equal to or less than the federal simplified acquisition threshold. See also Ala. Code § 16-13B-2, subd.(a)(14).
Exempting purchases of unprocessed agricultural products from competitive bidding requirements in schools
Ala. Code § 16-13B-2(a)(14)
This law exempts unprocessed agricultural product purchases by county or city boards of education from the competitive bidding process if the cost of the food purchased is equal to or less than the federal simplified acquisition threshold. “Unprocessed agricultural products” are defined in subsection (b) of Section 16-1-46. See also Ala. Code Sec 16-1-46 for farm-to-school processes and procedures.
Establishing a "Healthy Food Incentive Program," including guidelines for administration and regulations for qualified participants
Birmingham, Ala., Ordinance no. 17-23
This ordinance sets up a “Healthy Food Incentive Program” for the City of Birmingham. The ordinance includes guidelines for administration of the program, regulations for qualified participants, and how much the participants will receive. Among other things, under the program qualifying applicants (including individuals enrolled in SNAP and/or WIC and individuals with incomes at or below 130% of the current federal poverty guidelines) may receive debit cards or vouchers in varying amounts, depending on household size, to use to purchase approved foods from participating food stores.
Amending a previous ordinance to specify program start date and income qualifications for a "Healthy Food Incentive Program"
Birmingham, Ala., Ordinance no. 17-50
This ordinance specifies a program start date and income qualifications as amendments to a previously passed ordinance that establishes and provides standards for a healthy food incentive program. The original ordinance includes guidelines for administration of the program, regulations for qualified participants, and how much the participants will receive. Among other things, under the program qualifying applicants (including individuals enrolled in SNAP and/or WIC and individuals with incomes at or below 130% of the current federal poverty guidelines) may receive debit cards or vouchers in varying amounts, depending on household size, to use to purchase approved foods from participating food stores.
Limiting liability of farmer allowing gleaning by nonprofit
Code of Ala. � 6-5-343 (current through Acts 2023-563 and 2023-3 of the First Special Session, with some exceptions, and not including corrections and changes made to the 2023 session laws by the Code Commissioner)
This law limits the duty of care a farmer owes a person who–as an employee or agent of a nonprofit entity–enters land owned, leased, occupied, or controlled by the farmer, for the purpose of removing any crops remaining in the farmer’s fields following harvest. The duty owed by the farmer is the same duty of care the farmer owes a trespasser. For purposes of this law, a nonprofit entity is an entity that is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Section 501(c)(3).
Appropriating Funds for the Alabama Farm to School Incentive Program
AL H.B. 309 2021
H.B. 309 appropriates $300,000 for the Sweet Grown Alabama Program and $225,000 for the Farm to School Program. The Farm to School program is a local food purchasing incentive that reimburses school food authorities and ECE sites participating in a USDA feeding program $0.20 for each meal component that features a local product, up to $20,000 per year.
Appropriating Funds for the Alabama Farm to School Incentive Program
AL H.B. 145 2024
H.B. 145 appropriates $550,000 for the Farm to School Program. The Farm to School program is a local food purchasing incentive that reimburses school food authorities and ECE sites participating in a USDA feeding program $0.20 for each meal component that features a local product, up to $20,000 per year.
Increasing the Small Purchase Threshold
AL H.B. 53 2017
H.B. 53 would specify that federal funds for school nutrition may be used for the purchase of farm products pursuant to federal law and would specify that the exception to the competitive bid process for local boards of education for the purchase of unprocessed agricultural products for school lunchrooms would be based on the federal small purchase threshold in 41 U.S.C. §403(11).
Funding for Sweet Grown Alabama Program
AL S.B. 157 2020
S.B. 157 appropriates $120,000 for Farm to School Program. The funds are intended to be used as part of a 25 cents reimbursement incentive for every meal that features an Alabama-grown food product.
Appropriating Funds for the Alabama Farm to School Incentive Program
AL S.B. 106 2022
S.B. 106 appropriates $300,000 for the Sweet Grown Alabama Program and $300,000 for the Farm to School Program. The Farm to School program is a local food purchasing incentive that reimburses school food authorities and ECE sites participating in a USDA feeding program $0.20 for each meal component that features a local product, up to $20,000 per year.
Appropriating Funds for the Alabama Farm to School Incentive Program
AL S.B. 88 2023
S.B. 88 appropriates $400,000 for the Farm to School Program. The Farm to School program is a local food purchasing incentive that reimburses school food authorities and ECE sites participating in a USDA feeding program $0.20 for each meal component that features a local product, up to $20,000 per year.
