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Jun 11, 2023

NC Farm Act bill encourages muscadine grape juice in schools

The bill goes to Gov. Roy Cooper, who has 10 days to sign SB582, veto it or let

The bill goes to Gov. Roy Cooper, who has 10 days to sign SB582, veto it or let it become law without his signature.

Tucked inside the annual N.C. Farm Act bill that cleared the legislature Thursday is language that would encourage — but not mandate — that muscadine grape juice be available in all public K-12 schools, colleges and universities.

The Senate agreed Thursday to several changes made by the House to Senate Bill 582.

The bill goes to Gov. Roy Cooper, who has 10 days to sign SB582, veto it or let it become law without his signature.

SB582 includes much of the language from House Bill 67, which focused on muscadine grape juice and passed the House by a 107-8 vote on March 15.

HB67 was not addressed in a Senate committee, which was the same fate as another muscadine grape juice bill, House Bill 136, during the 2021 session.

HB67 would have mandated that the State Board of Education "shall ensure that 100% muscadine grape juice is made available ... as part of the school's nutrition program or through the operation of the school's vending facilities."

The Farm bill changes the language to read "shall strive to ensure."

The muscadine grape juice language in SB582 applies to the State Board of Education, local boards of education and charter schools. Muscadine grape juice availability would begin at the start of the 2023-24 school year if SB582 is signed into law.

Not only would the schools’ nutrition and lunch programs have to offer muscadine grape juice, but also school vending machines.

Community colleges and public universities would be required to offer the juice in vending machines.

Yet, the outstanding question remains — will kids pick muscadine juice over apple or orange juice?

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools said in a statement that it is "always looking for ways to include new trends and fresh local items into our student nutritional options."

"However, at this point, the district has not made any decisions on whether muscadine grape juice will be included in our menus and offerings for the 2023-2024 school year."

Rep. Julia Howard, R-Davie, is the primary sponsor of both bills.

Howard could not be immediately reached for comment on the muscadine grape juice language being in the Farm Act bill or the change from mandate to encourage.

Davie is the home of Mighty Muscadine of Advance, which is affiliated with Le Bleu bottled water, and Vine Life Products of Bermuda Run, both of which promote muscadine grapes for food, health and wellness purposes.

Mighty Muscadine is owned by Jerry Smith. Smith gave Howard a $2,700 political donation in 2016, according to opensecrets.org.

During the March 15 House floor debate on HB67, Howard expressed confidence that there would be a better reception in the Senate this session for the legislation.

The Farm bill does not include a provision contained in HB67 that provided a buyback clause in case students are not interested in the juice.

In HB67, the Food Distribution Division of the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would be required to include in contracts or purchasing agreements for packaged fruit products "that the supplier will buy back from the (state) Farm to School program unopened and unexpired products returned by school nutrition programs."

The school nutrition programs would have been credited for the returns.

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