New England State Local Food Procurement Policy Scan

Connecticut 

Gen. Stat. § 10-215D Regulations re: nutrition standards for school breakfasts and lunches. Facilitation of purchases from local farmers.
Streamlines school nutrition guidelines to support Farm to School local purchasing goals to facilitate purchases from local farmers.
Policy Lever: Aid 

Gen. Stat. § Sec. 4a-51 (Formerly Sec. 4-110). Duties of Administrative Services Commissioner re purchases.
All else being equal, state agencies must prefer local dairy products, poultry, eggs, beef, pork, lamb, farm-raised fish, fruits or vegetables in bids.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Gen. Stat. § 22-38D Farm to school program. Connecticut-Grown for Connecticut Kids Week.
Establishes a Farm to School Program and Connecticut-Grown for Connecticut Kids Week, along with outreach and training to schools in support of local purchasing.
Policy Lever: Celebration / Aid
Updated June 4, 2018 (see underlined portions for recent revisions) 

Gen.Stat.§10-215j School nutrition program bids by food service management companies. Consistency with farm to school program. Preference in award of contract.
When choosing among equal bids, schools must give preference to local suppliers.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Gen. Stat. § Sec. 22-38a Promotion of Connecticut-grown farm products. Regulations.
Establishes a local food certification and events to help institutions identify local products.
Policy Lever: Aid 

Gen. Stat. § Sec. 4a-57. (Formerly Sec. 4-112). Competitive bidding or competitive negotiation for purchases and contracts. Regulations. Waivers. Exceptions.
Establishes less rigorous bidding requirements for contracts anticipated not to exceed $50k. Allows for the waiving of competitive bids at or under $10k.
Policy Lever: Threshold 

Massachusetts 

Gen. L.7 § 23B Preference for products grown in or produced from products grown in Commonwealth.
10% Price Preference for In-State Products.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Commonwealth Quality Seal Program.
Establishes certification and technical assistance to help institutions identify local products.
Policy Lever: Aid 

Gen. L. Ch. 6 § 15BBBBBB An Act Establishing Massachusetts Farm-to-School Month and Commending Farm-to-School Programs.
Establishes Farm to School month and joint farm to school task force.
Policy Lever: Celebration / Advocate Position 

Gen. L. Ch 2. 20 § 6C Massachusetts Food Policy Council.
Establishes MA Food Policy Council to increase production, sales and consumption of Massachusetts-grown foods, including through increased institutional purchases of Massachusetts-grown foods.
Policy Lever: Advocate Position 

Gen. L. Ch. 30B § 4 Submission of quotations.
Established $35k local food purchasing threshold.
Policy Lever: Threshold 

Maine 

Lunch Harvest Week.
Encourages / facilitates relationships with Maine producers to promote local food use in schools.
Policy Lever: Celebration 

Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit. 7c. 8-A, sub-c. 3 An Act To Expand the Local Foods Economy by Promoting Local Foods Procurement.
By 2025, 20% of all food and food products procured by state institutions be local food or food products.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 20-A, § 6602 #12 Local Produce Fund.
Matching grants for local food purchasing in schools ($1 match for every $3 spent, up to $1-2k).
Policy Lever: Incentive 

Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 20-A, § 6602 #13 Local foods training.
Competitive grant to support training to increase school local food procurement.
Policy Lever: Incentive 

Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit. 20-A, § 6602 #15 Food service recognition.
Local food service/servers recognition for creative and effective use of local food products.
Policy Lever: Celebration 

Rev. Stat. Ann. Tit. 7c 8-A sub-c 1 § 211 Statement of policy.
Encourages local purchasing provided food is competitively priced and of adequate quality.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 7 c 8-A sub-c 1 §214 Coordination of purchases of foodstuffs from Maine concerns.
Tasks employee as local foods coordinator; also establishes supporting advisory committee to discuss possibilities and review proposals for expanding purchases of local foodstuffs.
Policy Lever: Advocate Position 

Department of Education Financial Information.
Outlines school local food procurement thresholds consistent with national standards (up to $250k) unless local jurisdiction has a lower threshold. Establishes micro-purchases, those requiring no bidding, at or under $10k.
Policy Lever: Threshold 

New Hampshire 

Rev. Stat. Ann. § 425:2-A The Granite State Farm to Plate Food Policy and Principles.
Establishes Granite State Farm to Plate Program to uphold importance of and encourage local food procurement.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Department of Education Bureau of Nutrition Programs and Services.
Outlines school local food procurement thresholds consistent with national standards (up to $250k). Establishes micro-purchases, those requiring no bidding, at or under $3k (minimum may have been raised to $10k with federal changes as of 2017).
Policy Lever: Threshold 

Rhode Island 

Gen. L. tit. 37-2-8 Rhode Island foodstuffs.
General preference for locally produced food all else being equal.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Gen. L. tit. 21-4.1-8 Preference.
In-state milk producers and distributors receive a one quarter of one percent (0.25%) preference over any out-of-state milk provider.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

Gen. L, § 44-30-27 Farm to school income tax credit.
Provides an income tax credit for purchases of produce grown in state that are used to satisfy the purchaser’s contract to provide food to schools. The tax credit is 5% of the cost of the food product grown or produced in the state.
Policy Lever: Incentive 

Director of Food Strategy.
Establishes state director of food strategy; non-binding / at-will position now housed in the Commerce Corporation.
Policy Lever: Advocate Position 

Gen. L. tit. § 21-36 Interagency Food and Nutrition Policy Advisory Council.
Ensures cooperation and coordination on food policy issues, including institutional procurement, across Departments.
Policy Lever: Advocate Position 

Rhode Island Food Strategy.
Creates a 5 year food strategy, a non-binding guide to facilitate local food procurement and meet regional preference goals.
Policy Lever: Local Preference / Strategy / Plan 

Gen. L. tit. 37-2-22 Small Purchases.
Establishes local food procurement threshold at $5k.
Policy Lever: Threshold 

Vermont 

10 V.S.A. § 330 The Farm-to-Plate Investment Program.
Established Farm to Plate initiative and provides supporting resources.
Policy Lever: Strategy / Plan 

6 V.S.A. § 4721 Local Food Grants Program.
Up to $15k to fund equipment and other initiatives related to local food procurement in schools.
Policy Lever: Incentive 

6 V.S.A. § 4724 Food Systems Administrator.
Establishes a food systems administrator position in Dept. of Ag to facilitate institutional procurement of local foods.
Policy Lever: Advocate Position 

29 V.S.A § 909 State purchase of food and agricultural products.
Encourages local purchasing all else being equal.
Policy Lever: Local Preference 

6 V.S.A. § 4719 The Rozo Mclaughlin Farm-to-School Program.
Establishes Farm to School Program and sets goal of 50% local or regional procurement by 2025.
Policy Lever: Local Preference / Aid 

6 V.S.A. § 4723 Professional development for food service personnel
Provides school personnel with training and technical assistance to facilitate local procurement.
Policy Lever: Aid 

Department of Education School Meals.
Establishes school local food procurement threshold at $25k. Establishes micro-purchases, those requiring no bidding, at or under $15k.
Policy Lever: Threshold