Transcript Massachusetts Farm to School Project

What We Do: Mass. Farm to School Project
 Technical Assistance
 “Matchmaking” services to farms, institutional food service
and distributors
 Promotion
 Coordinate Mass. Harvest for Students Week & Harvest of
the Month
 Distribute promotional materials for farm and food service
use.
 Education & Advocacy
 Annual research on the state of farm to institution sales.
 Representation of MA in National Farm to School Network
Farm to School Status Report
2005-2006
School Year
2011-2012
School Year
# of public school districts that 32
preferentially purchased local
foods
231
# of colleges and private
schools that preferentially
purchased local foods
19
89
# of farms reported selling
directly to schools
20
114
National School Lunch Program
 How it works
 Cash reimbursements and donated food from Federal
government (USDA )
 Meals must meet nutrition requirements
 Authorized through Healthy,
Hunger Free Kids Act
 Major changes in SY2011-2012
 Who’s in Charge?
 Self-operating vs. management
companies
The 3 Cs
 Cafeteria
 Community
 Classroom
Players in the Farm to School Food System
Local Farmers
Distributors
School nurses
Food Service Directors
Food Service Staff
Our job is to
understand the
players and look
for an opening
Agitators/Advocates/
Students
Teachers/professors
School administrators
(principals,
superintendents)
Local Foods for Cafeteria System
Why Serve Local Foods?
 Preserves Open Space & Diverse Farm Land

Farmers get more of the food $
 Lighter Carbon Footprint

On average our food travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate
 Preserves Genetic Diversity

Local Farmers often grow many varieties for taste, flavor & longer
season
 Minimize food waste
 Educate students & staff about where food comes from
 Connect to other sustainability initiatives in the school –
i.e. school gardens, compost programs etc.
 Serve the freshest, healthy and flavorful foods
 Support the local economy
Challenges & Opportunities
For Farms
For Schools
Opportunities
 Can provide stable, consistent
customer.
 Can purchase in high volume.
 Demand greatest during farms’ nonpeak time.
Challenges
 Must be able to communicate regularly
with schools and track orders
 Prefer a diverse product line or ability
to buy products from other farms.
 Price
 Delivery requirements - # of drop-offs,
location, minimum orders
Opportunities
• Increase in participation
• Less wastage
• Good PR
• Potential for curriculum
connections
• FFVP
Challenges
• Ability of kitchen to process raw
food
• # of meals served per day
• Ability of FSD to chose vendors
• FSD and kitchen staff motivation
• Consumer buy-in
• Food Service Management
Companies
Farm to Cafeteria In Your Community
 What’s Currently Happening?

Talk to your District Food Service Director
Currently buying from Farm? Distributor?
 Challenges they see?
 Opportunities? (salad bar, # meals/day, snacks, freezing)


Talk to your School Administration
Management Co. contracts
 Support cafeteria buying local foods?



School Wellness Committee/Policy
School Gardens
What is being done with food grown?
 What classes are using gardens?


Classroom connections – taste testing & more
Farm to Cafeteria In Your Community
 What’s Currently Happening?
 Farms – where to look?
In your area
 At farmers markets
 Delivering to restaurants, supermarkets, colleges, school nearby
 Farm Lists
 www.mass.gov/massgrown
 www.farmfresh.org


Farms – who may fit?
Size of operation & crops they produce
 Delivery capacity
 Price point

Farm to Cafeteria In Your Community
 Colleges
 Hospitals
 Preschools
 Retirement Communities
 Other ideas?
More Information
 Mass Farm to School:
www.massfarmtoschool.org
 Natl. Farm to School:
www.farmtoschool.org
 Farm to Inst. New England:
www.farmtoinstitution.org
Contact Information
Lisa Damon
[email protected]
413-253-3844