KRS 247.984: Farms to Food Banks Advisory Committee.

(1) The Farms to Food Banks Advisory Committee is hereby created for the purpose of

advising the department concerning the implementation and administration of the

program established under KRS 247.980 to 247.986. The committee shall be

composed of no fewer th an ten (10) but no more than fifteen (15) members

appointed by the Commissioner. Membership on the committee shall include:

(a) Food and nutrition advocates;

(b) Regional food bank representatives;

(c) Local government representatives;

(d) Representatives of the department and Governor's Office;

(e) Agricultural commodity producers;

(f) Representatives of farm advocacy groups;

(g) Representatives of Kentucky public or private colleges and universities; and

(h) At-large members designated by the Commissioner.

(2) The advisory committee shall elect a chairperson during the first organizational

meeting.

(3) The committee shall:

(a) Advise the department concerning the implementation and administration of

KRS 247.980 to 247.986;

(b) Make recommendations to the d epartment regarding the content of

administrative regulations promulgated by the department in accordance with

KRS 247.980 to 247.986;

(c) Advise the department on administration of the fund created pursuant to KRS

247.985 by developing a written plan for the expenditure of funds. The

committee shall meet at least one (1) time a year to review the plan and

prepare the annual report. The plan shall, at a minimum, include the

following:

1. A summary of existing food banks in Kentucky;

2. An evaluation of the needs of the hungry in Kentucky, including the

population of areas served by food banks, the percent of the population

that is at or below the federal poverty level, an estimate of the number of

school children who receive free or redu ced-price meals, and other

criteria that can measure need; and

3. A proposal for distributing funds to areas of recognized need; and

(d) Provide to the Governor and the Legislative Research Commission an annual

report by October 1 of each year. The initial report shall include the plan

developed under paragraph (c) of this subsection for the expenditure of funds.

The initial and future reports shall include details of the amounts and

recipients of funds distributed.

(4) Appointed committee members may be re imbursed for reasonable and necessary

expenses incurred while engaged in carrying out the official duties of the

committee.

(5) The committee shall be attached to the Department of Agriculture for administrative

purposes.