Promoting the use of local foods in public schools.

HB 2369 creates a Washington local food for schools program under the Superintendent of Public Instruction to help public school food authorities (like school districts) buy more locally grown food for school meals. The program establishes a catalog of Washington-grown, unprocessed foods and coordinates ordering through existing federal food systems to reduce administrative work for schools. It requires voluntary participation by schools in the national school lunch program, applies geographic preferences for local products where federal rules allow, and mandates collaboration between education, agriculture, and university departments to improve procurement and distribution. The bill directly affects school districts, Washington farmers, and state agencies by streamlining access to local food sources while aligning with federal nutrition requirements.