Press Release: March 9, 2010; Contact: Ben Lilliston, (612) 870-3416, ben@iatp.org

Farm to school efforts double in Minnesota: Demand from students, farmers and schools grows for farm to school programs

Minneapolis – The number of Minnesota school districts purchasing fresh food from local farms has more than doubled in the last 15 months, according to a survey released today by the Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA) and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP).

Farm to school programs link school children with local farmers and farm products, including fruits and vegetables, meat, grains and other items. Farm to school provides fresh, healthy food choices, helps children develop healthy eating habits and supports small and mid-size farmers.

The survey gathered input from MSNA’s membership, which includes foodservice professionals from nearly 100 public school districts serving approximately 550,000 K-12 students across the state. Sixty-nine districts reported purchasing Minnesota-grown products in 2009, more than double the figure from late 2008. Further, 77 percent of the districts now involved with farm to school initiatives expect to expand their activities in the upcoming school year, a sign that these programs are taking root and growing.

“Farm to school benefits our students, communities, farmers and the local economy throughout the state,” said MSNA President Mary Anderson. “This is a very positive program on so many levels. The  potential for growth is enormous.”

“Parents, students and educators know that good nutrition is essential if our kids are to be healthy and ready to learn. Small and mid-size farmers, whose products have largely been absent from America’s lunch trays, can offer our children fresh, less-processed choices and a chance to learn how and where their food is grown,” said IATP’s JoAnne Berkenkamp. “The momentum is rapidly building for farm to school programs and it’s great to see schools and farmers embracing this opportunity.”

Other key findings from the survey include:

• The most commonly used local foods were apples, potatoes, peppers, winter squash, sweet corn and tomatoes. A growing number of schools are also purchasing Minnesota-grown bison, wild rice, dried beans and grains.

• Nearly 43 percent of school districts purchasing Minnesota-grown food in 2009 did so by purchasing directly from a farmer or farmer co-op.

• While 84 percent of the survey respondents reported purchasing foods grown in Minnesota, 35 percent also purchased foods grown in neighboring areas of Wisconsin, Iowa and/or North or South Dakota.

• The biggest barriers to expanding farm to school purchases were the need for extra labor and preparation time in the cafeteria, pricing and tight food budgets, and difficulty finding nearby farmers to purchase from directly.

• In the future, schools are most interested in purchasing local vegetables and fruit, with growing interest in bread and grains, dairy and meat.  The survey also showed strong interest in expanding student education about Farm to School and growing food in school gardens.

In the coming year, IATP and MSNA will build on the growing momentum for Farm to School to expand farmer involvement, increase foodservice staff training opportunities, work with more students and increase public awareness

IATP’s work on expanding farm to school initiatives is supported in part by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota as part of Prevention Minnesota, Blue Cross’ long-term health improvement initiative that is working to tackle the root causes of preventable heart disease and cancer.

You can learn more about the farm to school survey at iatp.org and mnsna.org .

The purpose of Minnesota School Nutrition Association is to provide our members opportunities for professional development and to build relationships that make a difference in the lives of children. www.mnsna.org .

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy works locally and globally at the intersection of policy and practice to ensure fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. www.iatp.org

Leaping Lambs & Shear Delights! (special)

Saturday, April 17

TIME: 10 am – 1 pm FEE: Member: $6/adult, $4/child; nonmember: $7/adult, $5/child NO PREGISTRATION

Celebrate this special time of year! Visit our new lambs, watch their moms get sheared, wash the fleece and learn how to hand spin. Try your hand at felting, taste some sheep’s milk cheese, and much more!

Cheddar is a Verb! Be a Cheesemaker for a Day (adult)

Friday, APRIL 23

TIME: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm FEE: $75/person (includes lunch)  REGISTRATION: 802-985-8686

A full-day experience in the art and science of cheese. Work side-by-side with our cheesemakers to turn 6,000 lbs of milk into cheddar! Topics include: raw milk cheese, the 8 steps of cheesemaking, and cheese quality and aging. The day includes a home cheesemaking demonstration

Sheep Shearing Clinic (adult)

Saturday, April 24

TIME: 9:00 am–3:00 pm FEE: $125 for shearing (must bring own equipment); $50 for lectures & observation REGISTRATION: 802-524-6501

Learn the hands-on basics of sheep shearing in this day-long workshop guided by professional sheep shearer, Chet Parsons.  Sponsored by UVM Extension.

Vacation Day: Farmer for a Day (family)

Mon.–Wednesday, April 26–28

Register for one, two, or all three days.

TIME: 9:00 am–3:30 pm Ages: 5–12 FEE: Member: $45/child/day; nonmember: $50/child/day  REGISTRATION REQUIRED:  802-985-8686

Pitch in to prepare the farm for spring! Earth Day adds to the significance of caring for farm animals and garden plants that provide us with food. Activities may also include work in our sugarbush, or on our walking trails or beaches.      Before & after care available upon request. Please contact Peter Bullock 985-0309.

Interested parties please contact Sarah Poten at spoten@greenmarket.grownyc.org or 212-341-2259

Who we are: Greenmarket, a program of Grow NYC, is dedicated to promoting regional agriculture, preserving farmland, and ensuring a continuing supply of fresh, local produce for all New Yorkers. We operate 50 open air farmers markets throughout the five boroughs.

The Greenmarket Youth Education Project connects thousands of New York City schoolchildren in grades K-12 with Greenmarkets and regional farmers each year.  Through fun, interactive learning experiences like School Tours at market, Meet Your Farmer classroom visits, Seed-to-Plate cooking classes and On The Farm field trips we help children gain an understanding of local agriculture and the importance of eating fresh, seasonal foods–for their bodies, their environment and their communities.

Greenmarket School Tours introduce the concepts of seasonality, local food, and sustainable agriculture to over 3500 schoolchildren each year.  We have an Education Station tent at our Union Square Greenmarket and are seeking interns to assist with on-site programming, materials and school tours. Additionally we are seeking assistance with our middle school curriculum pilot that incorporates seasonal cooking classes, farm visits, and in-class visits with farmers.

Job Description:

This unpaid internship offers flexible hours both at market, in the classroom and in the office. For college students, incorporating credit requirements into the project is a welcome possibility.

Responsibilities may include:

• Staffing the Union Square Education Station

Field questions and organize displays and materials

Perform cooking demonstrations

Coordinate tabling events with volunteers and outside partners

Assist with and lead school tours

• Help to coordinate pilot project for ages 10-14 exploring local food and sustainable farming, the links between diet and health and basic nutrition, and food-related careers.
• Develop child-friendly nutritionally balanced recipes and educational hand-outs
  • Coordinate school tour schedule and prepare take-home materials.
  • Assist with writing and production of the Youth Quarterly Newsletter.

The position offers an exciting opportunity to make a creative contribution towards helping New York City’s children understand where their food comes from, and why their food choices are so important.

Sarah Poten

Education and Special Projects Coordinator, Greenmarket
GrowNYC (formerly Council on the Environment of NYC)
51 Chambers Street, Suite 1231, New York NY 10007
spoten@greenmarket.grownyc.org
212.341.2259 (w)
917.575.9281 (m)
212.571.0778 (f)

Growing awareness. minds. food. gardens…growing a better NYC

Get involved at www.GrowNYC.org