Farm To School Programs

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

October is National Farm to School Month. Chris Neal, Director of Nutrition Services for the Highline School District, which enrolls over 18 thousand students, has had first hand experience when it comes to the farm to school programs here in the state.

NEAL: I think anytime that we can promote local produce and the importance of using produce that comes from our local area, because Washington is such a basket of different tastes and products that when you can highlight it and bring it to the attention of not only people within your state but national attention, I just think that it shows that Washington cares and that we're working together as a community to promote local products.

Neal says they support and promote local farmers by regularly serving foods grown within Washington on their school menus.

NEAL: We participate in the Harvest of the Month program. We have posters in all the schools, which highlight locally grown produce product every month and I think that makes a difference. In the month of October cabbage is the harvest of the month, and each week there's at least one cabbage product that's offered at all schools in the district. We actually have pictures of local farmers on the back of the menu, and it tells students where the products comes from.

Elementary students within the Highline School District have had fresh fruit and vegetable bars in their cafeterias for the last five years.

NEAL: So our students are used to seeing and enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables and what we've seen is by the time they get to middle school and high school they're eating and enjoying it more, so we don't have a problem with our students taking the required half cup - there's no argument there.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.