1. www.cds.ilstu.edu Introducing Local Foods into Campus Dining: Challenges and Opportunities

2. Why Local foods? Fresher and more nutritious food Increase regional economic health Encourage a self-sufficient community Reduce environmental impacts Marketing/PR opportunity Educational opportunities. – Make ISU a leader among state Universities in Illinois.

3. Farm to College programs Nationwide – 135 programs – Majority are private schools – Most public schools with programs required external funding to start Currently only 2 in Illinois (Northwestern and Wheaton College) – both private schools with food service management companies

4. Current Farm–to–College Programs Source: www.farmtocollege.orgwww.farmtocollege.org

5. Challenges Cost Food Safety Insurance requirements Consistent product quality Availability/seasonality Coordinating purchase and delivery of products Additional preparation – retrain kitchen staff

6. Cost ItemCurrent pricesLocal Farm prices Broccoli$1.71/head$2 - $2.50/head Head Lettuce$0.75/head$2/head Green Beans$1/#$3/lb Carrots$0.26/#$2/lb Cucumbers$0.63/#$2/lb Salad mix$2.66/#$8/lb

7. Opportunities Education – creating more conscious consumers Research Documentation Establish a model – pilot Desire to do our part

8. Why a Pilot at ISU? Centralized location Size…not too big, not too small In house dining services Institutional support Academic support – Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development – Department of Family and Consumer Sciences – COB –focus on small businesses/entreprenuership – Agribusiness program

9. What Would it Involve? Inventory of food availability in the state (dates, farm locations, types) Cost analysis of products Establishment of a system to coordinate purchases and deliveries – Cooperative or some other model similar to current mechanisms of purchasing Creation of a model that other state universities could replicate

10. Thank You www.greenteam.ilstu.edu http://www.dining.ilstu.edu/index.shtml