Farm-fresh Food in Our Schools

This week, the first deliveries of North Carolina produce hit Wake County school cafeterias and 54 other school systems as part of the Farm to School program for the 2010-2011 school year.

Started 13 years ago, the N.C. Farm to School program is managed by the agricultural department's Food Distribution and Marketing divisions, supplying fresh North Carolina grown fruits and vegetables throughout the year to school districts statewide. The Food Distribution Division works with child nutrition directors to secure orders and is also responsible for picking up and delivering the fresh produce from the farm to school systems. The Marketing Division works with local farmers to source the commodities for orders and designs promotional materials for school districts that focus on nutritional information and the benefits of locally grown produce.

The fruits and vegetables in the N.C. Farm to School program are grown by farmers located from the coast to the mountains. Each participating farm is certified in Good Agricultural Practices, which is a food safety certification that ensures all produce is grown and packaged under safe conditions.

You can check this calendar to see what local produce is scheduled to be delivered to schools.

Go a Step Further for Healthy Schools

If you want to learn more about how you can have a positive impact on making your kids' school lunches, snacks, class rewards and celebrations healthier, and to increase the amount of local foods in our schoools, check out the resources for parents and school staff at Advocates for Health in Action's web site. You may also get involved in the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC), which serves as the primary health advisory board for the Wake County Public School System.