§ 4719. Purpose and State goal

(a) Purpose. It is the purpose of this chapter to establish a farm-to-school program to:

(1) encourage Vermont residents in developing healthy and lifelong habits of eating nutritious local foods;

(2) maximize use by Vermont schools of fresh and locally grown, produced, or processed food;

(3) work with partners to establish a food, farm, and nutrition education program that educates Vermont students regarding healthy eating habits through the use of educational materials, classes, and hands-on techniques that inform students of the connections between farming and the foods that students consume;

(4) increase the size and stability of direct sales markets available to farmers; and

(5) increase participation of Vermont students in child nutrition programs by increasing the selection of available foods.

(b) State Farm-to-School Network goal. It is the goal of the Farm-to-School Program to establish a food system that by 2025:

(1) engages 75 percent of Vermont schools in an integrated food system education program that incorporates community-based learning; and

(2) purchases 50 percent of food from local or regional food sources.