Momentum Building for
Farm-to-School Programs
—Maura McDermott
The four-year effort to establish a statewide farm-to-school program
in Oklahoma gained momentum in the fall and winter of 2005 as the
pilot program expanded and farmers, schools and policy makers expressed
interest and support.
Simply put, farm-to-school programs connect schools and farmers.
Schools purchase food (often fresh fruits and vegetables) from
local farmers to serve in school meals and snacks. Nutrition lessons
can be coordinated with the locally-grown produce being served.
The most effective programs include fun learning activities such
as food tastings and cooking demonstrations, school gardens, farm/farmer
visits and lessons about agriculture. The goal: get kids excited
about eating healthy food.
In 2004, four school districts (Broken Arrow, Edmond, Shawnee
and Tahlequah) participated in a pilot farm-to-school project,
serving Oklahoma-grown seedless watermelons for lunch during August
and September.
The watermelons, grown by Bob Ramming of Hydro, were so popular
with students and food service that in fall 2005 two school districts
(Muskogee and Tulsa) were added to the four, tripling the number
melons delivered.
Research in other states has revealed that farm-fresh fruits
and vegetables are student favorites at lunch. Lisa Griffin, Tulsa
Schools Child Nutrition Coordinator, agrees. The watermelon was
served in all Tulsa schools and the kids eagerly chose it when
it was offered.
"The teachers and cafeteria workers all thought the program
was great," she says.
"Farm-to-school is a win-win for both farmers and school
kids," says Jim Horne, president of the Kerr Center and
chairman of the Oklahoma Food Policy Council, which organized the
pilot. "Kids eat tasty, fresh, nutritious produce, while
farmers gain a new market."
In conjunction with the watermelon
deliveries, the Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom program distributed
a "watermelon curriculum," to teach students about nutrition, food,
agriculture and biology.
Farm-to-school goes a step beyond saying "eat this, it's
good for you," says Chris Kirby, vice chair of the Oklahoma
Food Policy Council. She says that if you teach children about
growing fresh fruits and vegetables their interest in eating healthy
foods shoots up.
Horne notes that almost 400,000 school lunches and over 150,000
breakfasts are served each day in Oklahoma. By one estimate, if
just half of the current amount spent by schools on fresh produce
went to purchasing locally-grown items, it would amount to $6 million
going to local farms and into local economies.
Oklahoma ranks twelfth in the nation in watermelon production,
yet until the pilot project in 2004, few of those melons were being
served in Oklahoma schools.
The most important winners, naturally, are the kids. Jill Poole,
head of food service at Broken Arrow, credits the freshness and
taste of the melons for their popularity.
"It was the best watermelon I ever had, period," she
says.
Buying the watermelons locally and having them delivered weekly
allowed the schools to have watermelon on the menu much more often,
and for a longer time period—five weeks.
"One of the most exciting aspects of the Farm-to-School
program is the cooperation we are seeing among the groups involved,"
says Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture. "Educators,
farmers, consumer groups and our agricultural organizations are
completely behind this initiative and I foresee great advances
in this area for the future."
The cooperation indicates a growing concern in the state about
children's health. During the last 30 years, there has been
a four-fold increase in the percentage of children who are overweight.
Teaching children to make healthy food choices is the key to reversing
this trend.
Having fresh fruit that kids like on the menu is important in
a state where only about one-quarter of Oklahoma fifth graders
eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and
even fewer high school students do.
Healthy for Life
Last fall, the Legislative Task Force on the Promotion of Children's
Health recommended seven areas of potential legislation, including
Oklahoma farmers selling fresh produce to schools and healthier
food options in school cafeterias.
Late in the year, Sen. Daily Lawler established an interim study
of farm-to-school and invited those familiar with the Oklahoma
program as well as farm-to-school advocates from outside Oklahoma
to speak at two hearings at the state capitol.
During the first interim hearing, Jim Horne said farm to school
is "a way to help encourage better nutrition, to get parents
actively involved in supporting better nutrition in schools. But
it also will get our farmers interested and realizing that this
is a market."
Prior to the interim hearings, the Oklahoma Institute for Child
Advocacy (OICA) and the Fit Kids Coalition endorsed an expanded
statewide farm-to-school program. Both organizations are influential
advocates for improving children's health.
The Fit Kids Coalition is a grass roots association of more than
90 organizations. The organization supports efforts to fight childhood
obesity in Oklahoma.
During a press conference in March announcing the Fit Kids legislative
agenda for 2006, Fit Kids chairman Stanley Hupfeld, president of
Integris Health in Oklahoma City, said that the quickest way to
positively affect change in children's health is through
the schools.
In March, initial bills supporting farm-to-school efforts in
Oklahoma were passed in the Oklahoma legislature. Senate Bill 1515,
authored by Sen. Lawler passed unanimously March 2. House Bill
2655, authored by Rep. Susan Winchester, (and Neal Brannon), passed
99-1 on March 6.
As of press time, final bills were pending. The legislation would
create
a farm-to-school program within the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
Food and Forestry.
The director of the program would develop farm-to-school efforts
statewide by providing information and assistance to both farmers
and school food service managers. The director would also advise
state agencies on what is needed to make the program a success.
"This a win-win bill for helping our kids with better health
and nutrition and for rural economic development," says Sen. Lawler.
"Our initial pilot program was a resounding success and surveys
of school districts throughout the state tell us they're
very enthusiastic about this concept."
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