USDA awards $4.5 million in grants to increase local food in schools

I applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarding more
than $4.5 million in grants in 37 states and the District of Columbia for
connecting school cafeterias with local agricultural producers.

When I was growing up in Central Washington’s apple country,
it always seemed wrong that apples in the stores were expensive and came from
somewhere else.

It’s important, especially with climate change and
diminishing energy resources, to get as much of our food as we can locally.

The federal emphasis on connecting local farmers and school
cafeteria programs is important because, when schools buy from local farms,
jobs are created and the economy benefits. In addition, energy costs for
transporting food are reduced.

And, when school kids understand more about where food comes
from and how it’s grown, they’re more likely to make healthy eating choices, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen
Merrigan said in a statement.

The 68 grants,
the first USDA Farm to School grants, will help schools use locally sourced
foods and increase market opportunities for producers and food businesses.
Grants will also be used to support agriculture and nutrition education efforts
such as school gardens, field trips to local farms, and cooking classes.

The grants will
be used in more than 3,200 schools that have an enrollment of 1.75 million
students. Nearly half of these students live in rural areas.

Examples of some of the projects include:

• Lawrence County District in Walnut Ridge, Ark., is using grant
  funds to coordinate efforts with other school districts to combine buying
  power and attract new producers to school food service.

• Weld County School District 6 in Greeley, Colo., will expand
  kitchen facilities to serve local products year-round through processing and
  freezing techniques.

• Des Moines Municipal Schools in New Mexico will receive grant
  funding to increase the types of products it buys from local vendors. Local
  cattle farmers already supply the school district with 100 percent locally
  produced beef. The USDA grant funds will be used to develop contacts with
  local fruit and vegetable producers so a full meal of locally sourced
  products can be served.

A list of
awards for fiscal year 2013 is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/F2S/pdf/F2S_Grants-FY2013.pdf.