Farm to School in the West
The farm to school movement has firmly taken root in the United States, and every day, new programs and projects are springing up. Ecotrust, by serving as the Western Regional Lead Agency for the National Farm to School Network, plays a key role in connecting farm to school leaders and helpers in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Here are highlights from each state to give a taste of the farm to school movement in the West.
Alaska – A visit to a bison farm
2011 marked the first year for Alaska’s statewide farm to school program. Among many accomplishments, the program helped connect schools with great local Alaskan foods such as carrots, barley, cabbage and salmon, and provided 17 grants to school districts that funded a field trip to a bison farm, chef visits to classrooms, and much more.
California – Students taste test new menu
The second largest school district in the country, Los Angeles Unified School District launched a new menu that features locally sourced foods and more whole fruits and vegetables in dishes ranging from tamales filled with vegetables to vegetarian sushi and Greek salad. The district enlisted thousands of students to participate in taste tests before making their menu choices.
Hawaii – The school garden as a classroom
Hawaii hosted its 4th annual statewide school garden conference, where many teachers shared their experiences utilizing school gardens in their lessons, such as in the culinary garden at Waimea Middle School, which proved so popular with students that math and science teachers have integrated it into their core curriculum.
Idaho – The incredible edible local trout
In the Boise School District, all 45 schools served at least one Idaho food each day of the month in September and celebrated with an all Idaho lunch—including local trout patties, cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumbers and milk—on September 21. The state’s Incredible Edible Idaho Monthly Poster Program gave all school cafeterias posters featuring different seasonal foods from Idaho, along with lesson plans, word and math puzzles, and more.
Montana – Spilling the beans
Montana launched a Rural Food Project through FoodCorps, a USDA and AmeriCorps program that hires young college graduates for a full year of service to help schools implement farm to school programs. The Rural Food Project connects local farmers with schools throughout the vast 147,046-square-mile state. First on the menu in the Mission Valley, where many farms grow small grains and beans: a lentil burger.
Nevada – Sending up the first shoots
At the outset of 2011, the first inklings of farm to school activity were beginning in Nevada, and as the year closed, a growing network of farm to school advocates had taken form, including representatives from the Department of Education, Extension Service, nonprofits, public health agencies, and more. We look forward to what this powerful network will accomplish in 2012.
Oregon – State funds local food in schools
In June, House Bill 2800 passed, creating a Farm to School and School Garden Pilot Program in two medium-sized, low-income Oregon school districts. State funds of $200,000 will allow cafeterias to purchase more Oregon-grown or processed products and support school gardens. Evidence in the Ecotrust report, The Impact of 7 Cents (3.9mb pdf), showing that an investment in school food would provide significant economic benefit to the state, helped bring unanimous bi-partisan support to the bill.
Washington – Taking farm to school on the road
In September, the Washington State Department of Agriculture celebrated another successful statewide Taste Washington day, featuring thousands of dollars of WA-grown fruits and vegetables on school menus. It also hosted several Farm to School Mobile Tours and kitchen skills workshops to allow farmers and school nutrition directors the opportunity to spend a day learning from one another.
