2004 Essay Contest:
Why Schools Should Serve Locally-Grown Foods
Honorable Mention — Chance Simpson Timberlake High School
(Kremlin, OK)
Why Schools Should Serve Locally Grown Foods
As a child, how many times did you hear the old adage: "Don’t
put that in your mouth, you don’t know where it has been!"?
Well Mom, as I sit here and ponder over the items on my school lunch
plate, I realize what you were telling me is so true. For many of us,
the location of the farmer who grew our food remains a mystery (as well
as what’s on our plate). It is estimated that a typical "fresh" food
item is hauled an average of 1500 to 2500 miles before being served.
(www.kerrcenter.com)
Oklahoma is known for its agricultural production. So why do schools
purchase food items from other states? This is a very complex question
with no easy solution. It is no secret that our state has been struggling
financially for years. In the budget crunch dilemma, schools’ funds
have been slashed drastically — forcing administrators to cut corners
and reduce staff wherever possible. Consequently, school lunch programs
are faced with the challenges of doing more with less and still providing
a nutritious meal for students.
I am sure if given the opportunity, school administrators would rather
spend their food dollars locally to support their own communities, but
is it feasible? Let’s look at the big picture. Can local farmers
meet the food needs of a school district? I feel it is unrealistic to
assume that area farmers could meet the entire food needs of a local
school district. However, I do think that several food products could
be raised locally and incorporated into the school lunch program to enhance
the current menu.
There are several good reasons why schools should purchase locally
grown food. Food grown locally has exceptional taste and freshness compared
to food that has traveled long distances from other states and countries.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours
of being harvested. (www.foodroutes.org)
Fresh produce provides premium flavor and is pack full of nutrients therefore
is more appealing to school kids. Spending your food dollar locally helps
stimulate rural economies. This is a win-win situation for both the school
and the farmers as it strengthens rural communities’ very existence
and helps preserve the family farmers. Another reason would be peace-of-mind.
Knowing where the food comes from and how it is grown enables schools
to choose foods produced in a healthy, environment-friendly manner. Buying
locally reduces carbon dioxide emissions from trucks hauling food long
distances, thus protecting the environment.
Now that we have reviewed all the positive reasons why a school should
buy its food locally, we must determine whether it is practical. Basically,
there are several enterprises that are raised successfully throughout
the entire state. These enterprises include but are not limited to the
bulk of the meat production like beef, swine, mutton, fish, and poultry.
Raising the product is only half the battle. The challenge is finding
local packers and processors to transform the raw product into a consumable
item. Corporations have squeezed several small packing companies out
of business, leaving rural communities without a packer. This creates
a logistics problem for the farmer and school. Regions of the state have
gained notoriety for growing crops like Rush Springs for its watermelons,
Stilwell for its berries, Stratford for peaches, and the list goes on
and on. Farmers in these areas have had success growing specific crops
that are adaptable to their soil type, weather, growing seasons, and
markets. These crops are seasonable and only adaptable in specific areas;
so all schools would not have local access to these crops. Also, most
fresh fruit and vegetables in Oklahoma are produced when local school
districts are on summer break, which leaves a void in the market.
We know that Oklahoma farmers and ranchers are capable of producing
food that school districts are purchasing from other states. So how do
we convince school districts to purchase products locally? (www.kerrcenter.com)
Throughout history, cooperatives have played a vital role in our nation’s
food distribution system. A basic objective of cooperatives is to serve
their members’ needs. Cooperatives could be established to meet
the food needs and increase the buying power of local school districts,
while benefitting area farmers. Successful co-operatives can benefit
the school, farmers, and revitalize rural communities. (www.rurdev.usda.gov)
In an effort to bring Oklahoma food to Oklahoma tables, the Oklahoma
Food Policy council was established. This unique group of individuals
has been empowered to encourage the use of locally grown food. The Food
Policy Council has developed a directory, which includes a list of farmers
who would be interested in selling to schools. Also, included in the
directory is what products are grown by a specific farmer, projected
harvest dates, list of institutional buyers, and a list of all produce
grown in Oklahoma. (www.kerrcenter.com)
The Community Food Security Coalition’s "Healthy Farms, Food,
and Communities"
legislative package for the 2002 Farm Bill has launched a Healthy Farms,
Healthy Kids Initiative. (www.hffca.usda.gov)
There is a long list of challenges that face the 21st century Oklahoman.
But perhaps the most challenging is the perseverance of our local schools,
communities, and family farmers. By incorporating the farm-to-school
programs, we can apply what we know about agricultural production, nutrition,
and marketing into a viable resource. Tangible or net margin savings
should not solely measure benefits of school-to-farm programs. Peace-of-mind,
food safety, and the health of the students should be factored into the
equation. The move from the present school lunch program to a locally
grown healthier product represents a significant shift in health priority
of students. The truth is that if we don’t take the time to reflect
strategically on these challenges, the health of many Oklahoma school
children will continue to decline.
Works Cited
Farm Bill 2002 — The Healthy Farms, Food and Communities Act (HFFCA).
@h.pag.on-line. Internet. March, 2, s004. Available.
http://www.usda.gov/farmbill.
Food Routes Network — Buy Locally Grown, It’s Thousands
of Miles Fresher @h.pag.
on- line. Internet. February 5, 2004. Available
http://www.foodroutes.org/whycare1.jsp
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture — Essay Contest.@h.pag.on-line.
Intenet.
February 2, 2004. Available
http://www.kerrcenter.com/HTML/essay_2004.htm
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture — Oklahoma Food Policy
Council @h.pag.on-line.
Internet. February 2, 2004. Available
http://www.kerrcenter.com/ofpc/faq.htm
Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture — The Oklahoma Farm to
School Report.
@h.pag.on-line. Internet. February 3, 2004. Available
http://www.kerrcenter.com/ofpc/farmtoschool.htm
United States Department of Agriculture — Cooperative Benefits
and Limitations.
@h.pag.on-line. Internet. March 8, 2004, Available
http:www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/cir1...
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