Bill would let Agency use contracts or grants to expand farm‑to‑school services

Steve Collier said section 6 broadens the agency’s tools for supporting farm‑to‑school activities by allowing either grants or contracts to fund the work. “The whole objective is to try to get more local food in the schools,” Collier said, describing existing grant work and the added flexibility a contract mechanism would provide for hiring third‑party technical assistance providers through a request‑for‑proposals process.

Collier said grants still have a place — for example, when a school buys equipment — but contracts better suit service‑delivery arrangements that span multiple schools and require performance benchmarks and competitive procurement. Committee members asked whether contracts would prevent certain purchases made under grants; Collier clarified the bill would allow either instrument where appropriate.

Members discussed oversight differences: contracts allow more tailored terms and monitoring of deliverables, while grants may pay out in installments and include conditions. Collier identified Gina Cleo as the staff member who manages farm‑to‑school grants and offered to bring her for more detailed testimony. The committee agreed further staff detail would be useful before final action.