In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Council” means the Maryland Food System Resiliency Council. “Food council organization” means a local food council organization that is established in the State. “Healthy food priority areas” means predominantly lower–income areas that have limited access to retail outlets that sell affordable, healthy foods. “Secretary” means the Secretary of Emergency Management. “Wasted food” means food not used for its intended purpose that is managed in a variety of ways, including: donations to feed people; the creation of animal feed; composting; anaerobic digestion; or disposal in landfills or combustion facilities.

There is a Maryland Food System Resiliency Council in the Office of Resilience in the Department. The Council consists of the following members: one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate; one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House; the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee; the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee; the Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee; the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; the Executive Director of the Maryland Farm Bureau, or the Executive Director’s designee; the Executive Director of the Maryland Agricultural and Resource–Based Industry Development Corporation, or the Executive Director’s designee; the Dean of the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or the Dean’s designee; and the following members appointed by the Secretary: five representatives of five different food council organizations who are recommended by members of food council organizations; one representative of the University of Maryland Extension; one representative of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Small Farm Program; one representative of the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro–Ecology; one representative of a public school system in the State who has experience in food security and local food procurement; one representative of a statewide food security advocacy organization; one farmer in the State; one representative of the seafood industry; one owner of a food business in the State; one expert in food system policy; one expert on racial equity in the food system; one expert on food system impacts on climate and the environment; one expert on food nutrition and public health; and any other individual that the Secretary deems appropriate. The Secretary shall: ensure that all five geographic areas of the State are represented by the appointed members of the Council; and appoint a successor in the event of a vacancy on the Council. The term of a member of the Council appointed by the Secretary is 3 years. An appointed member may not serve for more than two consecutive 3–year terms. At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies. A member who is appointed after a term has begun shall serve for the rest of the term or until a successor is appointed and qualifies. A member of the Council: may not receive compensation as a member of the Council; but is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State Budget. A majority of the members then serving on the Council is a quorum. The Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee, and one member who is elected in accordance with subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph shall cochair the Council. At the first meeting of each year, the Council shall elect a cochair from among the Council members for a term of 1 year. The Secretary of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee, the Secretary of Human Services, or the Secretary’s designee, and the Dean of the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or the Dean’s designee shall co–vice chair the Council. The Council may establish subcommittees to provide technical assistance to the Council. The Council may establish subcommittee topics and membership as the Council deems appropriate. The Department shall provide staff for the Council.

The Council shall: meet regularly for a period of at least 2 years to address food insecurity in the State; and work toward the following goals: to address the food insecurity crisis in the State resulting from the COVID–19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis by: coordinating State and local level food insecurity services to support residents of the State; tracking and analyzing data to create a comprehensive map of food insecurity across the State and identify the gaps in service; leveraging federal and private sector grants and other resources in order to address food insecurity needs; advising the State on how best to allocate resources and increase efficiency; and exploring the role of and potential for the federal Community Eligibility Provision to ensure all students in the State are fed; and making recommendations to the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland General Assembly to implement relevant findings under item A of this item; to develop equity and sustainability policy recommendations to increase the long–term resiliency of the food system, including: addressing and eliminating racial inequities in the food system; addressing and eliminating diet–related public health disparities; addressing and eliminating limited food options and food scarcity that exist in healthy food priority areas; reducing wasted food, increasing recycling, and encouraging other relevant environmental impacts; in urban, suburban, and rural settings, increasing the quantity, quality aggregation, marketing, and distribution of local food; increasing the procurement of local food through schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and other institutions; creating additional market opportunities for Maryland food businesses; and expanding access to small scale manufacturing and food production infrastructure; and to expand the impact of existing food council organizations by: providing coordination and facilitation of knowledge exchange at the State level; and supporting identification and application of grants to operating funds to support existing and new food council organizations as needed. To advance the goals of the Council, the Council shall engage and collaborate with interested stakeholders, including: residents of the State with lived experience of food insecurity; and food council organizations and similar local level food system convening organizations. On or before November 1, 2023, and each year thereafter, the Council shall submit a report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on key findings, appropriate policy and legislative changes, and activities undertaken by the Council.