SB1611 • 2026

Establishes the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act"

Agriculture Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Washington, Barbara; House handler: N/A
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: Second Read and Referred S Education Committee
Effective date: 2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Establishes the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act"

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1611 - This act establishes the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act".

What This Bill Does

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1611 - This act establishes the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act".
Under the Act, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, shall promote the development and registration of eligible apiary and urban farming apprenticeships that are approved by DHEWD or the United States Department of Labor.
Promotion of eligible apprenticeships shall include establishing model standards and curriculum guidelines; providing technical assistance to potential apprenticeship sponsors; and working with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to ensure that related technical instruction is available through community colleges and other training providers.
DHEWD shall allocate a portion of state funds designated for apprenticeship expansion to eligible urban farming apprenticeships.

Limits and Unknowns

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Bill History

2026-02-12 S383
Second Read and Referred S Education Committee
2026-01-29 S258
S First Read

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1611 - This act establishes the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act". Under the Act, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, shall promote the development and registration of eligible apiary and urban farming apprenticeships that are approved by DHEWD or the United States Department of Labor. Promotion of eligible apprenticeships shall include establishing model standards and curriculum guidelines; providing technical assistance to potential apprenticeship sponsors; and working with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to ensure that related technical instruction is available through community colleges and other training providers.

DHEWD shall allocate a portion of state funds designated for apprenticeship expansion to eligible urban farming apprenticeships. Priority for such funds shall be given to programs in metropolitan statistical areas, programs that partner with entities dedicated to increasing local food access, and programs that are led by or serve minority and historically underserved farming populations.

DHEWD shall annually report to the General Assembly on the progress of the Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems Apprenticeship Act, including the number of registered eligible apprenticeships, the number of apprentices enrolled, and the number of credentials issued.
OLIVIA SHANNON

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1611
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR WASHINGTON.
5757S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 173, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to urban farming
apprenticeships.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 173, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 173.2559, to read as 2
follows:3
173.2559. 1. This section shall be known and may be 1
cited as the "Missouri Urban and Local Food Systems 2
Apprenticeship Act". 3
2. As used in this section, unless the context clearly 4
indicates otherwise, the following terms mean: 5
(1) "Apiary apprenticeship program", a registered 6
apprenticeship program, approved by the United States 7
Department of Labor or the Missouri office of workforce 8
development within the department, that provides on-the-job 9
learning and related technical instruction necessary to 10
become a skilled beekeeper, apiarist, or commercial honey 11
producer; 12
(2) "Department", the department of higher education 13
and workforce development; 14
(3) "Eligible apprenticeship", an apiary 15
apprenticeship program or an urban farming apprenticeship 16
program; 17
SB 1611 2
(4) "Registered apprenticeship program", a program 18
that meets the federal guidelines set forth in 29 CFR Part 19
29 and 29 U.S.C. Section 50; 20
(5) "Urban farming apprenticeship program", a 21
registered apprenticeship program, approved by the United 22
States Department of Labor or the Missouri office of 23
workforce development within the department, that provides 24
on-the-job learning and related technical instruction 25
necessary to become a skilled urban farmer, market gardener, 26
or local food systems manager, with training in skills such 27
as regenerative soil practices, intensive crop production, 28
and post-harvest handling. 29
3. The department, in consultation with the department 30
of agriculture, shall promote the development and 31
registration of eligible apprenticeships by: 32
(1) Establishing model standards and curriculum 33
guidelines for both urban farming apprenticeship programs 34
and apiary apprenticeship programs to accelerate their 35
approval; 36
(2) Providing technical assistance and outreach to 37
nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local 38
government agencies, and small agricultural businesses 39
seeking to become program sponsors for eligible 40
apprenticeships; 41
(3) Working with the coordinating board for higher 42
education to ensure that related technical instruction for 43
eligible apprenticeships is available through community 44
colleges and other approved training providers in urban and 45
peri-urban areas. 46
4. The department shall allocate a portion of state 47
funds designated for apprenticeship expansion to registered 48
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apprenticeship programs that offer eligible apprenticeships. 49
Priority for such funds shall be given to: 50
(1) New or expanding programs located within a 51
metropolitan statistical area of the state; 52
(2) Programs that partner with local food banks, 53
veteran organizations, or entities dedicated to increasing 54
local food access in underserved communities; and 55
(3) Programs that are led by or specifically serve 56
minority and historically underserved farming populations. 57
5. The department shall annually report to the general 58
assembly on the progress of the Missouri urban and local 59
food systems apprenticeship act, including the number of 60
registered eligible apprenticeships, the number of 61
apprentices enrolled, and the number of credentials issued. 62
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