The Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch Project
Linking the Land and the Lunchroom-

By Heather Stouder and Sara Tedeschi

Each and every week, we see or hear about it in the media. The consequences of poor health and diet have skyrocketed in the U.S., and something must be done about it.  Speedy marketers have responded with adjustments in product lines and advertising- notice the proliferation of “low-carb” products, fast food salads, and more!  Despite this, many in agribusiness marketing continue to shape unhealthy eating behaviors in children, and the most common school meals are highly processed, and resemble fast food items.  Concurrently, small and mid-sized farms continue to be consolidated or lost around metropolitan areas, as foods are sourced from afar at extremely low prices. Tremendous amounts of energy and water used in production, processing, and transportation are not reflected in the price of food, and millions of people around the world earn extremely low wages to keep the global food system going.  These “hidden costs” can be greatly reduced if connections continue to be strengthened between producers and eaters within regions.

The links between land, food, and communities, are certainly complicated and difficult to trace. Many connections go unrecognized by adult eaters, let alone the children and teens that will shape the future of communities, metropolitan areas, U.S. agriculture, public health, and related policies with their votes and dollars.  In hopes of addressing the need for these connections a “farm-to-school” movement is underway across the country to link the land and the lunchroom by forging meaningful and direct relationships between area farms and school cafeterias. 

The Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch project is an exciting initiative in Madison, WI intended to increase the amount of locally and sustainably grown produce used in schools, and develop a farm-to-school model for the Midwest.  Funded by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), the project recently completed its first year of research and activities.  This short article will provide an overview of the accomplishments of the project, lessons learned, and strategies for continuing to build farm-to-school connections in Madison and across the region.  We hope to raise awareness among organic growers regarding the significant needs, challenges, and opportunities to build new, reliable markets while serving children of all income levels in our public schools. 

Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch (WHL) is a joint effort of the University of Wisconsin Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (www.wisc.edu/cias) and the non-profit Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group (REAP) (www.reapfoodgroup.org).  With one full-time Project Coordinator, a Graduate Research Assistant, and the oversight of a professor heavily involved in the project, WHL relies on partnerships with school foodservice staff, principals and teachers in three pilot elementary schools, volunteers, and local organic vegetable growers to work toward the following general goals:

·     Increase access to fresh, local produce for Madison school children, beginning in public elementary schools

·    Build stable markets for area farms and food producers who prioritize ecologically sound growing methods

·    Create meaningful educational links between classrooms, lunchrooms, and local food and agriculture

Acco mplishments

Five main accomplishments of the project are foundational to creating long-term successful markets for area farmers within the district.  First, the establishment of positive, collaborative relationships with foodservice and school district staff was critical.  By attending many meetings and committing to cooperative learning to explore possibilities, the project gained legitimacy and shape.  For instance, the support of the foodservice director allowed us to meet with various staff members to research the current school food service arrangement.  Support from a school district curriculum coordinator allowed us to send a flier through official district mail offering district-wide classroom presentations.  Enthusiasm from principals and teachers in the three WHL pilot schools has been integral to nearly every event.  Without a commitment to cooperation, WHL would simply not exist.  

Second, an effective committee of citizen volunteers and an Advisory Committee comprised of experts from a cross-section of related fields were established for the duration of the project, which was initially funded for two years.  Third, educational experiences for elementary students in classrooms and on farms were offered with the support of principals, teachers, area vegetable farmers dedicated to education, and volunteers.  An especially rewarding piece of the project, these educational experiences continue to be designed to increase students’ understanding of local agriculture, prepare them for special meals, and enhance existing school curriculum. 

The fourth accomplishment of the project was an initial flow of fresh, local and organic produce to over 1,300 elementary students in three pilot schools at picnic lunches in spring 2003 and at fall 2003 Harvest Festivals.  Local farmers, parents, volunteers, and the local media attended these special events, which featured items such as homegrown salads, rhubarb muffins, fresh tortilla wraps, and veggie chili. Principals and teachers agreed to extend lunch periods for these special events, and encouraged many creative ways to improve the lunchroom ambience with decorations related to local farms and nutritious food.  Fifth and finally, we have worked to identify, assess, and disseminate information about a range of constraints and opportunities facing this project, which we hope will assist others interested in farm-to-school possibilities.

Lessons Learned

In order to forge connections between small farms and schools, it is important to focus on building and shaping both supply and demand at the same time.  It is important to understand which foods currently served in school cafeterias might be sourced locally, and also to work with menu-planners to explore ways to feature regional products that are new to the menu.  This certainly requires creativity and commitment, but also a respect for the framework in which a particular school foodservice operates.

As part of the beginning stages of this initiative, we looked closely at other farm-to-school models across the U.S.  We quickly understood that school food buyers require streamlined ordering and billing, on-time delivery, and a consistent quality and supply of products.  These considerations are likely to come into play for any school district, regardless of size.  As we began our activities in Madison, we discovered in depth the variety of physical and financial challenges facing the foodservice programs in larger school districts. 

The Madison Metropolitan School District serves approximately 18,000 meals daily to its 25,000 students in 45 schools.  Food is received and prepared at a centralized production kitchen before being trucked to schools in individual disposable trays.  Most schools in the district do not have kitchens, and after waiting in line to receive their plastic-wrapped trays, children have a very limited amount of time to eat lunch.  Further, the budget dictates that the food costs incurred by the foodservice for each lunch must be only $0.68 on average.

Fresh Produce a Unique Possibility- Working within tight budgets to meet federal nutrition guidelines, schools have historically had access to a pool of very inexpensive USDA surplus commodity foods such as meats, dairy, grains, and canned or dried fruits and vegetables.  (Recently, USDA commodities are offering a greater variety of prepared, ready-to-serve foods such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, French toast stix, and other products expand this list just a little.)  Without significant policy change at the federal level, it is economically infeasible to replace USDA commodities with locally and sustainably grown counterparts, even when area supplies of organic meat and dairy products are readily available.  However, fresh produce remains a possibility! 

            Supply of minimally processed produce is critical- Staff at the central kitchen are accustomed to receiving fresh produce in ready-to-serve forms- chopped, dices, shaved, washed, and bagged- and often do not have the available labor time or equipment to transform freshly harvested vegetables into meal components for the thousands of children they serve.  Though foodservice staff has spent extra hours preparing vegetables for special meals at the three pilot schools, it is nearly impossible to imagine doing this frequently, especially for the higher volumes of product to be utilized for district-wide meals.  Fresh-cut produce can easily be purchased from SYSCO and other area distributors, yet there is currently no source of locally grown, ready-to-serve produce, due in part to a distinct lack of appropriately scaled vegetable processing facilities in the region.

Demand must be increased- Another unexpected hurdle is that the variety and amount of fresh vegetables used in school lunches is so low.  Currently, the district spends approximately $33,000.00 on fresh vegetables during the school year, which is equivalent to $1.32 per enrolled student, per year.  Further, elementary students see only a few types of fresh vegetables - shaved baby carrots, broccoli florets, and shredded iceberg lettuce.  It is difficult to simply substitute local vegetables, since none are available locally in these forms. 

Current Strategies

Continue education in the schools – Making connections in classrooms and on farms is an absolutely critical piece of the future of this project.  While significant changes in school cafeterias may take several years to implement, children can continue to expand their understanding of local agriculture and nutrition, and experience a variety of healthy foods from the land to their tastebuds.  By continuing to offer activities that complement existing curriculum, teachers and volunteers can expand these educational opportunities.

USDA SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Proposal- We are hoping to raise funds from SARE to continue the project from two more years with a focus on increasing the demand and supply of fresh-cut produce.  While we continue to work on developing school menus to utilize fresh produce, we are also continuing to build partnerships with area growers and a local grocery cooperative to explore ways to prepare fresh produce in a certified kitchen for delivery to the foodservice.

CAFF (Central Agriculture and Food Facility) Feasibility Study- Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch staff are participating in early discussions with Homegrown Wisconsin Cooperative, Friends of the Dane County Farmers’ Market, Commonwealth Development, and others in Madison to assess the feasibility for a CAFF in Madison which would include multiple functions to strengthen links between area producers and eaters, including space for offices, food storage, processing, distribution, and retail.

Connect with Potential Suppliers- We are eager to share our stories and hear the perspectives from vegetable growers in Southern Wisconsin who have an interest in making direct farm-to-school connections.  If you would like to hear more about Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch and contribute to an exciting discussion, please attend the meeting on Saturday, 12:00-2:00 in room Y Lower Level.

Conclusion

The challenges may be many, but the purpose and potential make farm-to-school a worthwhile approach.  It is important to consider the many aspects of forging farm-to-school connections from the perspectives of farmers, foodservice staff, educators, parents, and the future independent consumers themselves- children.   Public schools are challenging customers for small and mid-scale growers, in that they operate under more rigid financial and regulatory constraints than most hospitals, universities, and other institutions. Yet perhaps they are the most important place to begin.  Early learning experiences taking place in schools shape young people’s lives in many ways, including strongly influencing eating behaviors, food preferences, and a recognition of their connections to the world around them.

Farm-to-school initiatives are complex puzzles, and will be pieced together differently in each community.  Across the board, they require cooperation, flexibility, and a willingness to think and work both inside and outside of the box.  Certainly, if meaningful and lasting connections between farms and schools can occur, they can work within other institutions as well, for the benefit of farmers, communities, and a broad constituency of eaters.

For more information on the Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch project, please visit our web-site:  http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/farmtoschool or contact Sara Tedeschi, Project Coordinator at (608) 263-6064,  smtedeschi@wisc.edu.