To enact sections 901.91 to 901.95 of the Revised Code to establish the healthy farms and healthy schools grant program for the purpose of providing grants to schools to establish nutrition education and agricultural education programs for kindergarteners.

Section 1. That sections 901.91, 901.92, 901.93, 901.94, and 901.95 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 901.91.  As used in sections 901.91 to 901.95 of the Revised Code:

(A) "School" means a school operated by a school district board of education, a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, or a nonpublic school for which the state board of education prescribes minimum education standards under section 3301.07 of the Revised Code.

(B) "School year" means the year beginning on the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of June.

Sec. 901.92.  (A) There is hereby created the healthy farms and healthy schools grant program to provide grants to schools with kindergarten programs for the purpose of educating kindergarten students and their families about the importance of choosing healthy, locally grown or produced foods and to increase awareness of agriculture in this state. The program shall be administered by the director of agriculture. The director shall consult with the department of education and the department of health in establishing the program.

(B) Grants may be awarded under this section to schools for any of the following purposes:

(1) To provide kindergarteners with nutrition education. The nutrition education shall include student participation that is integrated into regular subjects in the curriculum and shall focus on healthy food choices utilizing agricultural products that are grown or produced in this state. The nutrition education activities shall include parents, caregivers, and community groups in the educational process.

(2) Training of teachers and other educational staff on nutrition education and agricultural education;

(3) Field trips to farms in this state and other direct agricultural educational experiences that teach children about sources of food, nutrition, and agriculture in this state;

(4) The purchase of agricultural products that are grown or produced in this state.

(C) The director shall maintain a list of persons involved in agriculture in this state that have agreed to supply food products and other supplies for the purpose of assisting grant recipients in the educational process.

Sec.  901.93.  (A) Schools that seek a healthy farms and healthy schools grant under sections 901.91 to 901.95 of the Revised Code shall submit an application in the manner and on a form prescribed by the director of agriculture. A grant awarded under those sections shall provide not more than seventy-five per cent of the estimated total cost of the proposed program for which the grant is sought. No individual school shall receive a grant in excess of fifteen thousand dollars in any given school year. An applicant shall provide at least twenty-five per cent of the estimated total cost of the proposed program for which a grant is sought.

(B) The director shall evaluate applications annually on the basis of all of the following:

(1) The ability of the applicant to complete the program for which the grant is sought;

(2) The ability of the applicant to perform adequately one of the purposes for which grants may be sought under divisions (B)(1) to (4) of section 901.92 of the Revised Code;

(3) The potential of the program proposed by the grant applicant to increase knowledge about nutrition and healthy eating habits for children, their parents or caregivers, and the community at large;

(4) The potential of the program proposed by the grant applicant to increase knowledge about agriculture in this state for children, their parents or caregivers, and the community at large;

(5) The ability of the grant applicant to procure locally grown or produced foods for the program proposed by the grant applicant;

(6) The potential of the program proposed by the grant applicant to increase markets for agricultural producers that are based in this state;

(7) The number of people to be served by the program proposed by the grant applicant;

(8) The ability of the applicant for the grant to sustain the program for which the grant is sought; and

(9) The overall performance with respect to any previous healthy farms and healthy schools grants received by the grant applicant.

In making healthy farms and healthy schools grants, the director shall give preference to schools in which a significant percentage of students are eligible for free lunches.

(C) The director shall require a written agreement establishing terms and conditions of a healthy farms and healthy schools grant and may establish procedures for verification of grant expenditures. In addition, the director may establish conditions under which money that is made available to a school via a healthy farms and healthy schools grant may be required to be repaid if the terms and conditions of the grant are not satisfied.

Sec. 901.94.  The director of agriculture may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that are necessary for the administration of sections 901.91 to 901.95 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 901.95.  There is hereby created in the state treasury the healthy farms and healthy schools grant fund consisting of money appropriated to it by the general assembly. Money in the fund shall be used by the director of agriculture to make grants under the healthy farms and healthy schools grant program established in sections 901.91 to 901.95 of the Revised Code and for the administration of the program.