Farm-to-school lunches
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Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) brought school children a step closer to enjoying produce from small, local farms in their cafeterias. The “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, announced last Tuesday, seeks to better nourish kids and support local farms by creating stronger connections between the two. The USDA will allocate $50 million for public schools to buy local produce and will set up farm-to-school tactical teams to tour schools and help them put the plan into action.
How and when this initiative will benefit NYC schools (and growers) remains to be seen, but good nutrition is always good news. Many kids get the majority of their calories at school, so what they’re served there can make the difference between wellness and illness. With national rates of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes skyrocketing, it’s becoming more apparent we need to change our collective habits-quickly. Helping schools replace processed foods with more fresh produce is a move in the right direction.
Alongside the Garden to School Café programs, which our family participated in this past summer at PS 29, “Know your Farmer, Know Your Food” provides an opportunity to educate our kids about nutrition and food production, while feeding their growing bodies. If students’ enthusiasm last week over pesto and salad from the PS 29 garden was any indicator, kids won’t need much convincing that wholesome fare is delicious too.
Is any tasty local food ending up in your school lunchroom? Comment below to let us know.
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We have a documentary about a very similar initiative in France that will be opening here in NYC on October 16th at the Quad Cinema. The film is called “Food Beware,” and it takes a look at a small village in the mountains of France, where - in opposition to powerful economic interests - the town’s mayor has declared that the school lunchroom will serve mostly local food, grown by organic methods. You can read more about the film here: http://firstrunfeatures.com/foodbeware_synopsis.html. It will be released on DVD November 17th.
Thanks,
First Run Features
Comment by Heidi M. — September 29, 2009 @ 11:51 am