Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-215m: Local food for schools incentive program.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Local farm” means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or wholesale distributor located in Connecticut.

(2) “Regional farm” means a farm, farmers' cooperative, food hub or wholesale distributor located in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine.

(3) “Locally sourced food” means produce and other farm products that have a traceable point of origin within Connecticut that are grown or produced at, or sold by, a local farm and includes, but is not limited to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables and minimally processed foods.

(4) “Regionally sourced food” means produce and other farm products that have a traceable point of origin within New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine that are grown or produced at, or sold by, a regional farm and includes, but is not limited to, value-added dairy, fish, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables and minimally processed foods.

(5) “Eligible entity” means a local or regional board of education that is participating in the National School Lunch Program or a provider of child care services, as described in section 19a-77.

(6) “Eligible meal program” means a meal program provided by an eligible entity to its children or students or a meal provided as part of such entity's participation in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer Option, After School Snack Program, Summer Food Service Program or the Child and Adult Care Food Program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, including the At-Risk Afterschool Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, shall administer the local food for schools incentive program. Such program shall provide, utilizing state and federal funds, reimbursement payments to eligible entities for the purchase of locally sourced food and regionally sourced food that shall be used as part of such entity's participation in an eligible meal program. An eligible entity shall be entitled to receive reimbursement payments in accordance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (e) of this section and in an amount equal to (1) one-half of such entity's expenditures for locally sourced foods, and (2) one-third of such entity's expenditures for regionally sourced foods.

(c) (1) The department shall receive requests from eligible entities for reimbursement payments under the program in a manner similar to how the department receives applications under section 10-215b.

(2) Each eligible entity shall (A) maintain a record of such entity's expenditures for all locally sourced food and regionally sourced food, as well as documentation confirming the place of origin of such food, as prescribed by the department, and (B) submit, upon request of the department, such records and documentation to the department for review.

(d) Any locally sourced food or regionally sourced food for which an eligible entity seeks reimbursement payments under this section shall comply with the nutrition standards established by the department pursuant to section 10-215e.

(e) The department shall develop guidelines for the implementation of the program. Such guidelines shall (1) establish a maximum reimbursement amount based on total enrollment for each eligible entity, (2) assist eligible entities in participating in the program, and (3) promote geographic, social, economic and racial equity, which may include a preference for historically underserved farmers or small farm businesses.

(f) The department shall develop a survey to be distributed annually to any eligible entity that receives reimbursement payments under this section. Such survey shall be designed to collect information to assist the department in implementing and improving the program.

(g) In addition to the reimbursement payments otherwise provided pursuant to this section, the department shall use at least twenty per cent of the annual appropriation for the local food for schools incentive program to engage with external partners to provide supplemental services. Such supplemental services may include, but need not be limited to, school nutrition or farm-to-school consultants, technical assistance, outreach, training or evaluation relating to the core elements of farm-to-school programming, such as procurement, processing, preparation, serving and education of locally sourced food and regionally sourced food.

(h) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations, including in-kind donations, for the administration of the local food for schools incentive program and to implement the provisions of this section. The department shall seek and maximize existing federal funding available for purposes of administering the local food for schools incentive program.

(i) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for expenditure during the next fiscal year.

(j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount of reimbursement payments payable to eligible entities shall be reduced proportionately if the total of such reimbursement payments in such year exceeds the amount appropriated for such reimbursement payments for such year.

(k) Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit a report on the local food for schools incentive program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to, an accounting of the funds appropriated and received by the department for the program, descriptions of the reimbursement payments made under the program and an evaluation of the program.