Resolve, To Facilitate the Distribution of Food Harvested in Maine to Residents with Food Insecurity

Sec. 1. Finance Authority of Maine to select entity to provide food harvested in the State to residents with food insecurity and to administer funds. Resolved: That the Finance Authority of Maine, through the request for proposal process, shall select and contract with an appropriate statewide entity to purchase, process, store and transport fresh and fresh frozen fruits and vegetables and seafood harvested in the State in order to increase access to fresh and fresh frozen fruit and vegetables and seafood to residents of the State with food insecurity. When selecting the entity, the authority shall consult with and accept assistance from experts in the areas of agriculture, food security and public health. The entity selected must be qualified in the safe handling of food products by adhering to all local, state and federal food safety regulations, by participating in an annual 3rd-party food safety audit performed by a nationally certified auditor and having experience in the distribution of food to low-income populations. The authority shall administer the funds allocated for the purposes stated in this section until they are finally disbursed and may retain a portion of those funds for the reasonable costs of administering this section; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That the Finance Authority of Maine, as a condition of the award of the contract pursuant to section 1, shall require the entity selected to submit a report by December 1st of 2016, 2017 and 2018 to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture, conservation and forestry matters and over health and human services matters. Each report must contain information regarding the entity's progress on meeting the purposes of section 1, including how funds were expended, types and amount of fruits, vegetables and seafood purchased and how access and availability were increased, and the efforts needed, if any, to achieve the purpose of providing food harvested in the State to residents with food insecurity; and be it further

Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following appropriations and allocations are made.

FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE

Maine Harvested Food Products for Residents with Food Insecurity N222

Initiative: Allocates funds on a one-time basis to provide fresh and fresh frozen fruits and vegetables and seafood harvested in the State to residents of the State with food insecurity.

FUND FOR A HEALTHY MAINE	2015-16	2016-17
All Other	$0	$3,000,000
FUND FOR A HEALTHY MAINE TOTAL	$0	$3,000,000