262.962.  Definitions — task force created, mission, duties, report. — 1.  As used in this section, section 262.960, and subsection 5 of section 348.407, the following terms shall mean:

  (1)  "Institutions", facilities including, but not limited to, schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and military bases;

  (2)  "Locally grown agricultural products", food or fiber produced or processed by a small agribusiness or small farm;

  (3)  "Participating institutions", institutions that voluntarily elect to participate in the farm-to-table program;

  (4)  "Schools", includes any school in this state that maintains a food service program under the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the school;

  (5)  "Small agribusiness", a qualifying agribusiness as defined in section 348.400, and located in Missouri with gross annual sales of less than five million dollars;

  (6)  "Small farm", a family-owned farm or family farm corporation as defined in section 350.010, and located in Missouri with less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars in gross sales per year.

  2.  There is hereby created a task force under the AgriMissouri marketing program established in section 261.230, which shall be known as the "Farm-to-Table Task Force".  The task force shall be made up of at least one representative from each of the following:  the University of Missouri extension service, the department of agriculture, the department of corrections, the department of health and senior services, the department of elementary and secondary education, the office of administration, and a representative from one of the military bases in the state.  In addition, the director of the department of agriculture shall appoint one person actively engaged in the practice of small agribusiness.  In addition, the commissioner of education shall appoint one person from a school within the state who directs a food service program.  The director of the department of corrections shall appoint one person employed as a correctional facility food service director.  The director of the department of health and senior services shall appoint one person employed as a hospital or nursing home food service director.  The director of the department of agriculture shall appoint one person who is a registered dietician under section 324.200.  One representative for the department of agriculture shall serve as the chairperson for the task force and shall coordinate the task force meetings.  The task force shall hold at least two meetings, but may hold more as it deems necessary to fulfill its requirements under this section.  Staff of the department of agriculture may provide administrative assistance to the task force if such assistance is required.

  3.  The mission of the task force is to provide recommendations for strategies that:

  (1)  Allow institutions to more easily incorporate locally grown agricultural products into their cafeteria offerings, salad bars, and vending machines; and

  (2)  Allow institutions to work with food service providers to ensure greater use of locally grown agricultural products by developing standardized language for food service contracts.

  4.  In fulfilling its mission under this section, the task force shall review various food service contracts of institutions within the state to identify standardized language that could be included in such contracts to allow institutions to more easily procure and use locally grown agricultural products.

  5.  The task force shall prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations and shall deliver such report to the governor, the general assembly, and to the director of each entity represented on the task force no later than December thirty-first of each year.

  6.  In conducting its work, the task force may hold public meetings at which it may invite testimony from experts, or it may solicit information from any party it deems may have information relevant to its duties under this section.

  7.  Nothing in this section shall require an institution to participate in the farm-to-table program, and the department shall not establish guidelines or promulgate rules that require institutions to participate in such program.