Bill > S3255

Introduced Session

This bill would establish a farm-based education program, called the "Adopt-a-Farm" school partnership program in public schools. The level of involvement between the school and the farm will be determined by each partnership. Students may be involved in supplying materials, preparing soil for planting, planting crops, harvesting, gleaning, setting up an irrigation system, ploughing a field, cutting grass, tilling beds, watering plants, weeding, milking cows, feeding animals, cleaning pens, general maintenance, and participating in the daily chores of running the farm. This program should serve to increase awareness of the important role that local, fresh produce plays in promoting good health and of its availability in the State, as well as develop an educated agricultural workforce and accelerate garden and farm-based education for public school students in the State. This bill would provide civil immunity from liability for injuries sustained on farms where school and farm partnership activities on agricultural land are conducted. This immunity would not apply to the gross negligence, recklessness, or knowing misconduct on the farm. In addition, under current federal and State law, farmers are immune from civil liability for injuries that take place on their farms during gleanings and farmers, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers are immune for damages caused by the food they glean or donate in good faith.

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Tom Kean (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (on 12/10/2020)