Oklahoma Farm-to-School:
Growing Healthy Kids and a Healthy Rural Economy

Oklahoma’s Farm to School Program continues to grow, with more and more Oklahoma school districts, colleges, and universities serving Oklahoma-grown produce to students in the cafeteria.

Legislation (HB 2655) authored by Rep. Susan Winchester (R-Chickasha) and Sen. Daisy Lawler (D-Lawton) passed both houses of the Oklahoma legislature in May 2006.  Governor Brad Henry signed the bill into law on June 7.

The bill established a farm-to-school program within the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.  It created a position for a coordinator whose job is to develop the program statewide by providing information and assistance to both farmers and school food service directors, as well as advising state agencies on what is needed to make the program a success.

The bill encourages school districts to “purchase…locally and regionally produced foods in order to improve child nutrition and strengthen local and regional farm economies.”
Why support Farm to School?

Serving our Kids Foods Fresh from the Farm:

    * Improves Nutrition
    * Encourages Good Eating Habits
    * Fights Childhood Obesity and Obesity-Related Diseases
    * Teaches Kids about Oklahoma Agriculture

Connecting Local Farmers with Local Schools:

    * Supports Family Farms and Rural Communities
    * Increases our Nation’s Food Security

For more information on farm-to-school, contact Chris Kirby, Oklahoma Farm-to-School Program coordinator, by email or phone (405.522.2106).

This project is supported by the Community Food Projects Program of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grant # 2004-33800-15141

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

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