Market Access: Linking Local Food and Local Schools

1. Market Access: Linking Local Food and Local Schools 2011 Local Food Systems Conference ~ Building the Market Leanne DuBois Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

2. Highlights of the Child Nutrition Act ~ Healthy, Hunger Free Kids 2011 • What’s in the bill:The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act will help to ensure that low-income children can participate in child nutrition programs including: • Expanding the Afterschool Meal Program to all 50 states; • Supporting improvements to reduce red tape in helping children obtain school meals; • Enhancing the nutritional quality of food served • Making “competitive foods” offered or sold in schools more nutritious. Out of School Time Provisions Authorizes $20 million dollars for Summer Food Support grants for sponsors to establish and maintain programs • Authorizes grants for expansion of School Breakfast Programs Subject to available appropriations, grants could be used to establish or expand school breakfast programs, with priority going to schools with 75 percent free and reduced-price eligible students.

3. Child Nutrition Bill – Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010Promoting Good Nutrition and Wellness in School Provides $5 million annually in mandatory funding for farm-to-school programs starting October 1, 2012 * Current law does not include a mandatory appropriation Adds a six cent performance-based increase in the federal reimbursement rate for each school lunch served in schools that meet forthcoming updated nutrition standards for breakfast and lunch * No provision in current law Allows only lower-fat milk options * Allows all milk options

4. Child Nutrition Bill – Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010Promoting Good Nutrition and Wellness in SchoolEnsures that water is available free of charge during the meal service * No provision in current law Gives USDA the authority to establish national nutrition standards for all foods sold on the school campus throughout the school day * No provision in current law Strengthens local school wellness policies and adds rules for public input, transparency, and implementationCurrent law directs local school districts to have in place school wellness policiesRequires school nutrition environment reports * No provision in current law

5. FARM TO SCHOOL – SEEING GREEN • Virginia public schools serve 681,505 lunches daily to nourish students and during a 180-day school year more than 122 million lunches are served. • If $0.25 a day per student lunch could be devoted to purchasing locally-grown Virginia farm products, a total of $170,376 would be generated daily. • On an annual basis, more than $30.7 million dollars would be reinvested into Virginia communities and economy.

6. Task ForceExecutive Summary 2007 Virginia schools currently spend more than $6 million annually on fresh produce Since the General Assembly directed the implementation of the Virginia Farm-to-School Program in 2007, there has been a 300% increase in Virginia foods served in public and private schools. (Source: Virginia Food System Council Study 2009) TASK FORCE REPRESENTED PARTIES: Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Secretary of Education Nutritionists Department of General Services Fruit and Vegetable Growers/Agricultural Interests Distributors Department of Education Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

7. VDACS FARM TO SCHOOL WEBSITE 2009 - 2010 24 Public School Districts 370,000 – Total Student Population 11 Farms 3 Distributor Companies Virginia Grown Marketing Materials ordered: 0 2010 - 2011 47 Public School Districts 5 Private Schools 2 Universities 630,877 - Total Student Population 21 Farms 10 Distributors Virginia Grown Marketing Materials ordered: 170

8. Farm to School is Relationship Driven A strategic opportunity to bring together the classroom, cafeteria, farm, home, and community to promote a common goal Farm to school covers a wide range of activities that necessitate a high degree of collaboration among a variety of participants Community Partners Parents/PTA Chefs Universities and Colleges Local Farmers and/or Farmers Market Managers State Department of Agriculture and Local Extension State Department of Education Volunteers Master Gardeners Local Media Nonprofit Organizations (local, State, regional, national) Local Distributor and Processors

9. Fall HarvestVirginia Apples

11. VDACS Farm to School RESOURCES Use of a Statewide identifiable Marketing Symbol Logo available for menus to identify local products

13. Virginia Farm to School WeekEstablished in 2010 During the 2010 Virginia General Assembly Session a House Joint Resolution was passed with unanimous consent by both the House of Delegates and Senate to officially establish a Virginia Farm-to-School Week as the second week in November.

14. Farm to School Week Kick Off

15. 2nd Virginia Farm to School Week 2010 November 8 – 12, 2010 Survey Results School Districts that Participated - 84% Featured Virginia Grown Products Apples - 91 % Sweet Potatoes - 54% Broccoli - 48% Products purchased from: Distributor – 71% Farmer – 34% Food Cooperative – 5% Other – 9%

16. Incorporated an educational component – 70% Total dollars spent for Farm to School week - $65,509. (Average total - $1,524 per District) Experience with Farm to School week will encourage inclusion of more Virginia Grown products throughout the school year

17. Biggest challenge to expanding Farm to School efforts: • Other Reasons: • Produce not grown all year in Virginia • Consistent quality and quantity • Delivery to all schools on a regular basis – logistics, transportation • Improve infrastructure to be sure we are getting Virginia grown product • November a tough season for a good variety of locally grown products • Time management – planning far enough ahead

19. During the 2011 General Assembly, two lawmakers from opposite parties teamed up to encourage school cafeterias to serve more food from local farms . HB 1549 Virginia-grown food products; purchase by state agencies and institutions, etc. HB1549 and SB1090 Purchase of Virginia-grown food products by state agencies and institutions and local school divisions.  Provides for the Department of General Services to establish procurement procedures to facilitate the purchase of Virginia-grown food products by state agencies and institutions and local public school divisions to the maximum extent possible. Rather then changing the code of Virginia - Educational workshops for nutrition directors are planned.

20. Farm Product Search Websites • VDACS Farm to School Website Farm Search by County – Product – Farm Name • Virginia Grown • Local Harvest • Buy Fresh, Buy Local

21. 250,000 pounds of apples to schoolsVIRGINIA GROWN:Local Food Hub partners with more than 45 public and private schools and universities in the City of Charlottesville, as well as Albemarle, Nelson and Greene Counties, to incorporate locally grown foods into lunch, dinner, and snack menus. This means thousands of school children now have access to healthy, fresh foods like strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, apples, and pastured beef.

22. 2011 Community Food Awards Sponsored by Local Food Hub,the City of Charlottesville,and the Counties of Albemarle and Nelson Agricultural Endurance Award: Whitney Critzer, Critzer Family Farm (Nelson) Community Mentor Award: Richard Bean, Double H Farm (Nelson) Partner Producer Of The Year: Jose & Adolfo Calixto, Singing Earth Produce International Business Leader: UVA Health System Small Business Award: Integral Yoga Natural Foods Trailblazer Award: Alicia Cost & Sandra Vasquez, Nutrition Services Of Charlottesville

23. Harrisonburg CityPublic SchoolsEstablished an ongoing system of working with local farms 2008 – 2009 ~ $9,000 Local 2009 – 2010 ~ $46,000 (5% of purchases) 2010 – 2011 School Year ~ $93,000 2011 – Sept. – Oct. ~ $ 30,161 Baker, Inc. – Pork D&E MeatsHeartland HarvestJ&L Green FarmMt. View FarmMr. J’s BagelsPortwood GardensProduce AuctionRoute 11 ChipsT&E Meats Wades Mill

24. School GardensLearning Laboratories Integrates Agricultural Literacy Students can be part of a food system on a small scale

25. Alexandria Public Schools Strawberry and Greens Week Elementary schools in Alexandria grew 40 pounds of lettuce to serve in the school cafeteria during the spring of 2011 Purchased 8% of their Food Locally in the 2010 – 2011 school year

26. Educational MaterialPick of the Season

27. Richmond City Public Schools WHAT IS KNOW YOUR VEGGIES? This program introduces Holton students to a seasonal Virginia grown vegetable or fruit every month to foster an environment where kids get excited about eating vegetables and start to develop healthy habits.  Local Chefs with Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and Chefs Move to Schools, visit Holton almost weekly to work with staff, students, and parents on food preparation/tastings etc. For more information, visit: knowyourveggies.blogspot.com

28. Chefs to School – Culinary Programs

29. School to FarmHarvest "I like to get my hands dirty!" shouted one Floyd Elementary School student who was digging potatoes at last week's Farm to School harvest. Another student, when asked if he grew potatoes at home answered, "No, but I kinda want to now."

30. "No nation is healthier than its children, or more prosperous than its farmers.” Harry Truman, signing the National School Lunch Act Thank You