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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Encourage the Teaching of Agricultural Studies in Schools’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4710-A  is enacted to read:
§ 4710-A. Agricultural studies
 
1.  Agricultural studies.     Agricultural studies may be taught in and infused or integrated into the curriculum of public and private elementary and secondary schools. Agricultural studies may address, but need not be limited to:
 
A.  The importance of agriculture in the State's history and development;
 
B.  The connections between the farm and daily life;
 
C.  The economics of agriculture and its importance to the State's economy;
 
D.  The importance of knowing where food comes from and the ecology of growing food; and
 
E.  The importance of eating healthy food and its role in combating childhood obesity.
 
A school offering agricultural studies may make use of resources and materials developed and provided by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council in accordance with Title 7, chapter 8-D.
Sec. 2. Agricultural studies instruction. To the extent existing resources allow, the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 242, shall seek to ensure that schools and teachers in this State are aware of the agricultural education materials, resources and training available pursuant to Title 7, chapter 8-D and shall encourage their use in agricultural studies in schools.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill. This amendment authorizes agricultural studies to be taught in and infused or integrated into the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools, both public and private. Agricultural studies may address, but need not be limited to, the importance of agriculture in the State's history and development, the connections between the farm and daily life, the economics of agriculture and its importance to the State's economy, the importance of knowing where food comes from and the ecology of growing food and the importance of eating healthy food and its role in combating childhood obesity.
This amendment also directs that, to the extent existing resources allow, the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Council implement outreach efforts to ensure that schools and teachers are aware of the educational materials, resources and training relating to agricultural studies available pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, chapter 8-D.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)