08/22/08 Fruit, veggies in school; Parma field day

Its called Section 19 of the National School Lunch Act. It's a 49 million dollar program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for elementary school children during the school day. Section 19 replaces a previous program in a limited number of states and expands it to selected schools in all 50 states. 40 million dollars came from the new Farm Bill, another nine million had previously been appropriated. Idaho's share of fresh fruits and vegetable funding is 673 thousand dollars. Funding for the lunch program is set to increase annually and will go up threefold to 150 million dollars by 2011-12. How about sampling some of the fruit grown on trees and vines at the University of Idaho's Parma Research Center? You can do that on September 12. Anyone interested in fruit production, including commercial growers, small farm and alternative producers, home gardeners and horticultural professionals is encouraged to attend. One of the best parts of this annual field day is a chance to nibble on new table grapes, peaches, nectarines, apples, quinces, Asian pears and other alternative fruits. There will be information about growth bio-regulators, water conserving irrigation and innovative fertilization. Its all free, open to all September 12th in Parma. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott