Community Food Systems
Lunchroom Stewardship
Thoughts on Local Food, School Cafeterias…& Pink Coleslaw
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Farm-to-School Funding
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or more information on grants available to support farm-toschool initiatives in Minnesota, see mda. state.mn.us/farm-school-early-caregrants or contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Kate Seybold at kate.seybold@state.mn.us.
erving locally produced food in and serve Minnesota agricultural products. schools and farmers in the region. Her work school cafeterias, known as “farmIn fiscal year 2024, the Minnesota Departencompasses 12 kitchens and between 4,800 to-school,” is one of those concepts ment of Agriculture expects to award up to and 5,200 meals served in a given day. She that, like puppies and pizza, just about $935,000 to reimburse school districts and regularly works with around 15 farmers, everyone thinks is a good idea. After all, it early care centers for buying Minnesota sourcing mostly produce, but also some provides healthier food for young minds and grown and raised foods used in federal meal meat and dairy products. The schools have bodies while putting more money directly programs. School districts can also get state also started bringing in local maple syrup, in the pockets of farmers. What’s not to like? funding to purchase kitchen equipment that honey, and dry beans. Haag estimates that, But there are numerous obstacles that supports their handling and processing of on average, the food they buy directly from stand in the way of connecting farms is within a 15-to-30 minute local farms and local schools on drive of the schools. At the peak of a consistent basis. For one thing, the farm-to-school season, which many of today’s schools lack the is in early fall, 80% of the schools’ kitchen facilities and staff to prepare vegetables and 100% of the beef fresh food straight off the farm. is locally sourced. Haag estimates In addition, tight budgets make it over the entire course of the school difficult to pay local farmers what year, between 25% to 35% of the they deserve — major food service food is from local farms. companies simply provide a cheaper, The Hutchinson, Litchfield, and if less nutritious, product. And it Dassel-Cokato initiative has been can be difficult for a local farmer called the gold standard of farm-toto know how best to approach a school programs in the state, in no school nutrition director about their small part because school officials product, and to know exactly how have dedicated staff time to its coto match supply and demand while ordination. And Haag is a good fit making regular deliveries. Finally, for the job. She had worked in the there’s the fact that in the Midwest, classroom before, but even more During a summer farm-to-school workshop in Hutchinson, anyway, the prime growing season importantly, she and her partner, Minn., Aimee Haag described how school kitchens receive for items like fruits and vegetables Andy Temple, for a time raised deliveries from local farms. (LSP Photo) and the regular school year don’t vegetables in the area. That means exactly coincide. Haag knows the challenges farmers But in recent years, numerous school locally-sourced food. And farmers wishing face, and has made lots of connections with districts have overcome such obstacles to to better match their growing season with the people raising food in the area. connect directly with farmers and make the school calendar can apply for USDA Haag recently sat down to talk on episode locally produced food more than a rarity Environmental Quality Incentives Program 322 of LSP’s Ear to the Ground podcast on cafeteria tables. For example, more than funds to erect hoop houses and other seasonabout what is involved with developing and 65% of U.S. school food authorities particiextending structures. maintaining a successful farm-to-school pating in the USDA’s latest farm-to-school A big reason such support is available is program: landstewardshipproject.org/ census, which took place during the 2018because groups like the Land Stewardship podcast/ear-to-the-ground-222-lunchroom2019 school year, reported that they were Project and the Institute for Agriculture and stewardship. Below are excerpts of that involved in farm-to-school activities. That Trade Policy have been working hard during conversation. represents over 42 million students. The recent legislative sessions to promote farmnumber of Minnesota school districts ento-school bills, winning funding for grants as Starting With Low-Hanging Fruit gaged in farm-to-school practices rose from well as a farm-to-school coordinator at the “When launching a farm-to-school pro18 in 2006 to 262 in 2019, which impacts Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Havgram, start out with things that students love, over 520,000 students. ing a paid professional available to coordilike carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, cherry In Minnesota, one thing that’s helped nate farm-to-school initiatives is important, tomatoes. These foods also need minimal smooth the path between the vegetable plot and not just on the state level. For example, prep and give our kitchen staff a little bit of and the lunch table has been increased supAimee Haag is the farm-to-school coordinaexperience to see how orders come in. port for farm-to-school initiatives via the tor for the cooperative district that encom“And it does take a little bit of planning. state department of agriculture. For example, passes the central Minnesota communities of I know that the vegetable farmers, espestate Farm-to-School and Early Care Grants Hutchinson, Litchfield, and Dassel-Cokato. support Minnesota school districts and early For the past three years, Haag has served Lunchroom, see page 15… childhood education centers that want to buy as the link in the food chain connecting the
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No. 2, 2023
The Land Stewardship Letter
