Farm-to-School News

The Farm-to-School Team Scores Big

(From Field Notes, Fall 2004)

l-r: Cecilia Henson, Maura McDermott, Ken Wilmoth, Yvette Newell, Anita Poole

Teamwork is the key to success— a cliché maybe, but this newsletter is full of examples of how working together can yield a bumper crop of positive results. A case in point: the Oklahoma farm-to-school project (see p.10), which is an outstanding example of what can happen when people in and out of government come together with enthusiasm and good will.

First, I want to acknowledge the support of the USDA's Risk Management Agency for the project. I would also like to thank a number of individuals for their work. They include people on the Kerr Center staff-- Anita Poole and Maura McDermott— who have worked hard behind the scenes to gather information, plan meetings and write reports and articles.

I also would like to thank the staff of ODAFF, in particular Rick Maloney, head of Market Development, Mike Schulte of that department, and Esther Goldsmith who kept us on track with her excellent notes, as well as Ag Commissioner Terry Peach for his support.

Other folks who deserve kudos: the members and ad hoc members of the Oklahoma Food Policy Council who spent hours planning the farm-to-school survey and analyzing the replies, with special thanks to Dr. Larry Sanders of OSU and Barry Bloyd, head of the Oklahoma Agriculture Statistics office. Thanks also to Rodney Bivens and Chris Kirby of the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank for providing us with meeting space.

Beginning in September of last year, planning for the pilot project began in earnest. Key players in the planning and implementation of the project were Tom White, Asst. State Superintendent of Education, and Dee Baker and her staff in the Dept. of Education's Child Nutrition Program; and Paula Price and her staff at the Commodity Distribution and School Nutrition Unit at the Oklahoma Dept. of Human Services. These folks were enthusiastic, supportive, and essential to the project's success.

Other key people from USDA Food and Nutrition Service and the Department of Defense Farm to School program attended the initial planning meeting (even bringing a fruit tray!) and subsequent gatherings. Ken Wilmoth, head of produce buying for the Department of Defense, twice traveled all the way from Virginia to share his experiences setting up successful farm-to-school programs in North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. Other key personnel were Yvette Newell, chief of DoD's Ft. Worth produce buying office, and from the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service Special Nutrition Program, Director Ronald Rhodes, Section Chief Paul J. Schmitz, and last, but not least, nutritionist Cecilia Henson.

l-r: Deborah Taylor, Jill Poole, Rita Bingham, Shelly McLain

I would also like to thank the food service directors who took part in the pilot project— Deborah Taylor of Shawnee, Jill Poole of Broken Arrow, Shelly McLain and Rita Bingham of Edmond, and Rhonnie Kerns of Tahlequah for their dedication to improving the food choices and nutrition of their students.
I also want to recognize Mike Thomas, of Thomas Brothers Produce, who went the extra mile to make the pilot project successful.

I'm sure I am leaving someone out-so many joined together to make this happen. The pilot project is a small start, but we feel sure that with continued teamwork we can expand the program. For this we will need more school officials and farmers, as well as parents, to join our team.

I feel sure it can be done. In this season of competition on the gridiron and in the polling booth, it is heartening to realize that when people of good will work together, good things will happen for Oklahoma.

Jim Horne, President, Kerr Center
Chair, Oklahoma Food Policy Council