Bill > H2736

This bill establishes the Executive Office of Food Resources and Security, a new state agency tasked with overseeing and promoting food production, security, and related economic development within the Commonwealth. This office will be led by a Secretary of Food Resources and Security, appointed by the governor, and will encompass several departments, including those focused on food production, labor and workforce development, innovation and research, investment and financing, security and labeling, economic development for local foods, nutrition and health, and self-sufficiency in food production. The bill defines key terms such as "Food Producer" (including farmers and commercial fishers) and "Food Production" (the process of cultivating, harvesting, or collecting food for sale). The new office will be responsible for fostering sustainable food production, promoting job creation, developing workforce training programs, improving nutrition, increasing demand for local foods through marketing, conducting research, and administering programs and incentives to strengthen the state's food system, aiming to enhance its capacity to feed its citizens without relying solely on imports.