2023 California Code › Food and Agricultural Code - FAC › DIVISION 1 - STATE ADMINISTRATION › PART 1 - THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE › CHAPTER 3 - Other Powers and Duties › ARTICLE 10 - Farm to Community Food Hub Program › Section 591.

591. (a) The Farm to Community Food Hub Program is hereby established for the purpose of piloting investments in the capital aggregation and distribution infrastructure needed to increase purchasing of local, environmentally sustainable, climate-smart, and equitably produced food by schools and other institutions, build a better food system economy, support the local farming economy, accelerate climate adaptation and resilience, and employ food system workers with fair wages and working conditions.
(b) The program shall be administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the department. The department may consult with outside entities who possess expertise in the operation of food hubs and the areas described in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(c) (1) The secretary shall establish an advisory committee, which shall be known as the Farm to Community Food Hub Advisory Committee, for the purpose of advising the secretary in their responsibilities regarding the program.
(2) The advisory committee shall advise the secretary on education, outreach, and technical assistance for the program.
(3) (A) The advisory committee shall be composed of 10 members appointed by the office, with 3 members from northern California, 3 members from central California, 3 members from southern California, and 1 member who is a farmer or rancher, as described in subparagraph (E), who may be selected from any one of the three regions. Each member may have an alternate.
(B) Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or manager of a food supply chain business, including a producer, processor, or purchaser, headquartered in California.
(C) Four members and their alternates shall be an executive or director of a civil society organization, or a representative of an academic institution, including K–12 schools, with expertise in advancing food system improvements supportive of local food systems, equitable access to healthy food, labor in the food system, or climate-adaptive and climate-resilient food systems.
(D) One member and their alternate shall be a representative of the Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program, housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(E) One member and their alternate shall be a farmer or rancher who qualifies as one or more of the following:
(i) Socially disadvantaged.
(ii) Beginning.
(iii) Limited resource.
(iv) A veteran.
(v) Disabled.
(vi) Operates a farm or ranch that is 500 acres or less.
(4) The advisory committee may appoint officers and form subcommittees, with chairpersons appointed by the advisory committee, as needed, in order to carry out and fulfill its duties under this subdivision. The advisory committee shall determine the powers and duties of appointed officers and subcommittee chairpersons.
(5) An alternate member shall serve at an advisory committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as an officer of the advisory committee. The number of alternate members present who are not serving in the capacity of a member shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
(6) An alternate member may serve at an advisory committee subcommittee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, a member in the same category as the alternate member, as described in paragraph (3), except for the powers and duties as a subcommittee chairperson.
(7) Members and their alternates shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, as determined by the advisory committee and approved by the secretary.
(8) The secretary or their representative, the State Public Health Officer or their representative, and a county agricultural commissioner may serve as ex officio members of the advisory committee, in addition to the 10 members appointed pursuant to paragraph (3).
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 28, Sec. 47. (SB 1380) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2028, pursuant to Section 594.)