AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – A Maine legislative committee has approved a proposal designed to aid public schools in buying more fresh, local food.

The proposal, by Democratic Sen. Eloise Vitelli of Arrowsic, would expand the state’s Local Produce Fund to allow schools to buy more food via sources other than directly from farms.

Vitelli says the change would also expand the program beyond produce to include protein foods such as meat, fish, tofu and eggs.