04/09/2011 01:00 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 93                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to school gardens, greenhouses, and                                                                       
     farms."                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:49:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAVID  GUTTENBERG,   SPONSOR  explained  the                                                                    
school gardens  program. He relayed  that public  schools in                                                                    
conjunction  with a  local farm  operated school  gardens in                                                                    
Fairbanks. The  children actively participated  in gardening                                                                    
supported by  curriculum in the  classroom. The  program was                                                                    
very successful.  The gardens produce  over 1,000  pounds of                                                                    
produce per  year. He  noted the  enthusiastic participation                                                                    
by  the  students.  He  pointed out  that  the  program  was                                                                    
exportable  throughout the  state.  The legislation  enabled                                                                    
the program to operate  state-wide. Non-profit groups like 4                                                                    
H  and  Future Farmers  could  bring  the program  into  the                                                                    
schools.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg expounded  that  Calypso Farm  in                                                                    
Fairbanks  started slow  and raised  money for  each school.                                                                    
The farm  expanded the  program from  school to  school. The                                                                    
program  required  a  teacher  who  wanted  to  sponsor  the                                                                    
program and  a sustainable site  at the school.  The farmers                                                                    
support  the  teacher  and the  curriculum.  The  curriculum                                                                    
integrated science and other relevant subjects.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:54:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Guttenberg furthered  that  HB 93  supported                                                                    
interested  non-profits in  launching  the school  gardening                                                                    
program in other parts of the state.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze OPENED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ELIZABETH MAFI, TEACHER,  COFFMAN COVE (via teleconference),                                                                    
spoke in  support of the bill.  She reported that she  was a                                                                    
teacher in Southeast  Islands school district and  lead a 4H                                                                    
group  in Coffman  Cove.  She described  how  she started  a                                                                    
garden  program at  the school.  She spoke  of the  positive                                                                    
effects the garden  had on the students  and community; from                                                                    
teaching  life skills  to  fostering community  involvement.                                                                    
She stated the legislation  would augment their fund raising                                                                    
efforts.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:57:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WES  SCHOTT, HOMER  (via teleconference),  reported that  he                                                                    
was a member of the Homer  Grange. He asked how the matching                                                                    
grant  worked. Representative  Guttenberg believed  that the                                                                    
$10,000 grant was awarded in  cash for the program's general                                                                    
use.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
LINDSEY ANSORNO, SECRETARY,  HOMER (via teleconference), was                                                                    
in support of the  legislation. She reported her involvement                                                                    
with the  Homer Grange.  She believed the  legislation would                                                                    
provide  education,  training,   food  security  and  foster                                                                    
obesity  awareness  in  the  community.  She  asked  if  the                                                                    
committee would consider expanding  the program if more than                                                                    
ten schools applied.  Representative Guttenberg replied that                                                                    
the original  bill included all Alaskan  schools. The fiscal                                                                    
note was very expensive. He  informed the testifier that the                                                                    
program  took time  to develop.  The bill  allowed for  more                                                                    
schools  to  transition  into  the  program  each  year.  He                                                                    
advised that each  garden program needed to  develop a solid                                                                    
structure for success.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:00:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DARREN  SNYDER, COOPERATIVE  EXTENSION AGENT,  UNIVERSITY OF                                                                    
ALASKA-FAIRBANKS,  was in  support  of  the legislation.  He                                                                    
appreciated the  type of learning opportunity  for youth the                                                                    
school gardening program provided.  He relayed that he spent                                                                    
much  of his  university  time seeking  funding for  similar                                                                    
programs  in  schools.  He  supported  the  ongoing  funding                                                                    
stability that the bill provided.  He was concerned that the                                                                    
program grant was not in-kind.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SUSAN    WILLSRUD,   CALYPSO    FARM   AND    ECOLOGY   (via                                                                    
teleconference), was present to answer questions.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
BARBARA SMITH, CHINOOK  MONTESSORI CHARTER SCHOOL, FAIRBANKS                                                                    
(via   teleconference),  voiced   strong   support  of   the                                                                    
legislation.  She  relayed  that  Chinook's  curriculum  was                                                                    
hands  on.  A garden  program  would  enhance the  student's                                                                    
study  of  Botany.  Co-Chair  Stoltze  asked  where  Chinook                                                                    
Montessori  Charter School  was located.  Ms. Smith  replied                                                                    
that they were located in Fairbanks.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Thomas CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB  93  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:07:57 PM