1. For improving the program
Identifying Barriers in Farm-to-School: Implications for Communication
Shuyang Qu, Laura Gorham, and Dr. Joy Rumble
Introduction
Farm-to-School: A national effort encouraging schools to purchase produce from local farms.
Provides school children with more fresh fruits and vegetables to fight hunger, malnutrition, and obesity.
The Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and Center for Public Issues Education collaborated to host a bus tour for foodservice directors to visit farms and connect with producers.
Funded by a USDA/FDACS specialty crop block grant.
Working with producers
“If [resources are] not in place for the small, middle farmers, how do they get those resources, would that be something that they would be open to make sure school districts can feel good about taking their produce and serving to students.”
Food safety
“A strawberry farmer mentioned that the strawberry was not washed, which is helpful [to preparation procedures].”
Connecting with Producers
“If there was a mechanism to connect the volume of produce that we consume in the school district [with producers], statewide to get that information would be great.”
Methods
Results
Recommendations
Participants: 16 food service directors
Methods: 30 minute small group discussions
8 participants per group.
Discussions recorded and transcribed.
Analysis: Thematic analysis
Objective: Identify perceived barriers and opportunities of purchasing local food as part of the farm-to school program in Florida.
For improving the program
Develop strategic communications tools
Create resources to translate the language barriers between farmers and foodservice directors.
Development of network to send alert of local products purchasing or selling opportunities.
For future research
Identify the barriers that producers, distributors and food service directors face when participating in the program.
Assess the effectiveness and usefulness of Florida Food Connect among farm to school participants.
Theoretical framework
Opportunities
Alert.
A middle man connecting producers and foodservice directors.
Producers offer a wider variety of produces to schools
Utilize Florida Food Connect to connect farmers and schools, while identifying other opportunities available through Florida Food Connect.
Theory: Cognitive dissonance
Describes the thought process that occurs when an individual has two conflicting thoughts
Occurs when individuals choose to make a decision with negative attributes or not to make a decision with positive attributes.