Frequently Asked Questions - Schools

School Frequently Asked Questions

What is farm to school?


Farm to School is a nationwide movement that connects schools and local farms to serve healthy meals in school cafeterias, improve student nutrition and farm or gardening educational opportunities. Currently there are farm to school programs in all 50 states.

Is local produce better than produce grown elsewhere?

Local food is often healthier than foods grown on large industrial farms, because local produce is picked and eaten at peak freshness and offered in greater variety. Produce that is grown on industrial farms is often transported long distances, stored in warehouses, and ultimately trucked to its destination. From the time the food leaves the farm to the time it reaches your table can take days, even weeks. Because the produce is plucked before it is ripe and so much time passes from farm to table, much of the nutritional value is depleted by the time it reaches the consumer's plate.

Since local food is not shipped far and is not warehoused for distribution, it can be picked when it is ripe. Local food typically arrives at the place of purchase within 24 to 48 hours after harvest, and therefore does not require synthetic preservatives to keep "fresh". Local produce is also picked when its nutritional content is high and lose fewer nutrients during transport, retaining the majority its nutritional value by the time it is eaten.

How do Farm to School programs contribute to children’s health?

 

Farm to School programs instill healthy and balanced eating habits at a young age and in an institutional setting, setting up behaviors that can last a lifetime. Research into existing Farm to School programs indicates that students choose significantly more servings of fruits and vegetables when given the choice of high quality, local, fresh produce, especially when this availability is linked to an educational activity.

Why should schools procure locally?


Farm to School programs, which buy from local farmers, bring additional educational opportunities for children by way of farm tours, farmer visits in the classroom, and school gardens. Connections with the local farms and agriculture help children better understand the cycle of food such as how and who grows it, how it impacts their bodies, health and the community. Buying local is good for the economy as it contributes to the growth of small businesses, generates jobs, and is good for the environment as food produced locally consumes less fossil fuel for transportation and materials for packaging.

How do farm to school programs fit into the school lunch program?


Locally grown food can be offered as part of hot lunch, breakfast, as snacks or, as in some schools offered on a salad bar.