Farm to School - Farm to Hospital
Welcome to our 'Farm to School' page.
We passionately believe that children should be afforded the opportunity to eat healthy foods and to learn just what is a healthy food choice. Because of these beliefs, we are active in the USDA's "Farm to School" and other healthy eating initiatives.
We all learned about the food pyramid and healthy food choices while we were in school. Then we went to the school cafeteria and promptly ate hot dogs, fries, and pizza. Why? We didn't have any choice. Or rather, we didn't have any healthy choices. Sure, we had the choice between the mystery-meat burger and the "you-don't-want-to-know-what's-actually-in-it" hot dog; but there were no really healthy alternatives when we were in school.
Kids today are faced with the same problems. Most of them will make the right call when given a choice between a Twinkie and a bowl of fresh strawberries. Unfortunately, they're not being given that choice. They are being given the choice between a Twinkie and a Little Debbie snack cake and expected to somehow make some kind of healthy choice.
With the advent of the USDA's Farm to School Program, we're helping to change all that. Over the past few years , we have proudly supplied the following school systems with some of the best produce around:
Bowling Green Independent Schools - Bowling Green, Kentucky
Christian County Schools - Hopkinsville, KY
Diocese of Owensboro Catholic Schools - Owensboro, KY
Warren County Public Schools - Bowling Green, KY
Here's what the USDA's website has to say:
What is the Farm to School Initiative?
The Farm to School initiative is an effort to connect schools (K - 12) with regional or local farms in order to serve healthy meals using locally produced foods. Farm to School activities may vary from community to community depending upon demographics; however, the basic goals remain the same:
- To meet the diverse needs of school nutrition programs in an efficient manner
- To support regional and local farmers and thereby strengthen local food systems
- To provide support for health and nutrition education.
What is the History of Farm to School?
Since the passage of the National School Lunch Act in 1946, key legislation has played an essential role in providing our Nation's children with access to healthier meals. Programs like the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) have provided-and continue to provide-nutritionally balanced and low-cost or free meals and snacks to children each school day. The document linked below provides an overview of key legislation related to Farm to School. Legislative History The USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is focusing on Farm to School efforts that incorporate regional and local farm products into school meal programs. Schools and communities may initiate and support a variety of Farm to School activities, including nutrition education, agriculture-related lessons and curriculum, school or community gardens, farm tours, taste testing, and parent/community educational sessions.
What is USDA's Involvement in Farm to School?
USDA recognizes the growing interest among school districts and communities to incorporate regionally and locally produced farm foods into the school nutrition programs. USDA is supporting Farm to School efforts through a number of initiatives, and continues to look for ways to help facilitate this important connection.
Recently, the USDA established "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food," an initiative which focuses on the importance of understanding where our food comes from and how it gets to our plate. In response to the growing demand for Farm to School activities, the "USDA Farm to School Team" was developed out of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" Initiative. Learn more about USDA's Farm to School Team.
