Farm to School 2011

What are the goals of Farm to School? Expand educational opportunities Improve nutrition Support local food systems Strengthen relationships between public, private and non-profit agencies

What are Farm to School activities? Curriculum that draws a connection between agriculture, the environment, nutrition, and health Experiential learning in school and community gardens, farms, and food production facilities Professional development for farmers and school staff Exchange of resources to support farms and schools

Report on the Feasibility of Establishing a Farm to School Program in Hawaiis Public Schools …a statewide farm-to- school program that involves state-wide procurement of locally produced fruits and vegetables for the entire program…is not feasible. Many farmers do not consider growing for the school food market Few farms are food safety certified Small number of farmer cooperatives Farmers markets are for higher priced niche produces Report to the 2010 Legislature, SCR 121 S.D.1 H.D.1 (2009)

Steps to Increase Supply of Local Food for Schools Increase the number of food safety certified sources Encourage local farms to sell to schools Provide incentives for farmers Tax breaks, subsidies, or purchase preference points Develop farmer cooperatives Expand centralized gathering and processing facilities Provide incentives for food wholesalers to buy local

Steps to Increase Buying Local Foods in Schools Increase Funding for School Food Authorities Food budget Professional Development for Cafeteria Staff Nutrition Education Culinary Arts Staffing/Salaries (may require negotiation with unions) Additional personnel for decentralized purchasing Planning Time for food preparation Increased skills requirements

Factors to consider with Farm to School… Limited resources Sustainability Equity Diversity Regulation Evaluation

Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) School Food Services Branch 10 th largest school food authority in the nation ($82M budget) 200+ full-service cafeterias 100,000+ meals served daily (24M annually)

$1.39 for food $2.57 for labor $.74 for operations PRICE Hawaii= $2.35 Alaska = $4.00 National Avg = $2.50 How much does a HIDOE school lunch cost? $4.70 Food 30% Labor 55% Operations 15%

USDA Reimbursement Rates* Free: $3.18 Reduced: $2.78 Full-Pay: $0.30 Remember: School lunches cost $4.70 to make! * Reimbursement rates as of June 2011.

Benefits of USDA for DOE Meals $30M Food Provision Budget $4M+ Commodity Foods $2.7M DoD fresh fruit and vegetables Other commodities: enriched whole wheat flour, brown & white rice, nonfat dry milk, beef, beans, etc.

Benefits of USDA (contd) Breakfast and Afterschool Snack Programs Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) Summer Food Service Program 73 schools in 2010 FREE meals to all children 18 years old and younger

All meals meet or exceed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Milk is skim or 1% fat Rice is 50/50 brown/white Baked goods 50% whole grain Salad 50% romaine lettuce Zero trans fat Zero deep fryers in schools DOE School Meals Are Nutritious

Recent Changes in DOE Menu Local and seasonal produce: watercress, won bok, papaya, melons, corn Whole wheat recipes Brown rice Romaine lettuce Edamame (Soybeans) Omega-3 fortified pasta More meals made from scratch

HIDOE SFSB Food Procurement Must be a State approved vendor Buy American Best Buy (out of 3 bids) Buy Local (when price is equal to or less than U.S. produce)

Farm to School Beyond the Cafeteria (So kids will eat fruits and veggies when they are served!) Classroom instruction Field trips to farms, markets, and food processing facilities School and community gardens Snack programs with local foods After school and extended learning opportunities Parent education School fundraising with local foods