Why buy locally?
 |
| Lincoln students
participate in a farmer presentation. |
Farm-to-School programs take a win-win approach. By encouraging school districts to buy fresh, seasonal products from local farmers who use environmentally sustainable farming methods, such programs introduce children to a variety of healthy foods, helping support their region's agricultural economy in the process. Farm-to-school programs aim to counteract negative trends in the current food
system, providing a healthy alternative to children and families targeted by fast food marketing.
Farm-to-school programs benefit:
Children
Farm-to-school programs offer
equitable access to fresh, healthy, locally grown foods to all children.
That's especially important for children from lower income families, who
rely most on school meal programs. Such programs provide a unique
opportunity to teach children about the value and importance of food in
their lives in an environment that would ideally be insulated from the
fast food influence so pervasive in children’s lives today.
Farm-to-school programs foster children's understanding of where food
comes from and the role they, as consumers, play in the food system.
What's more, kids love the fresh fare: according to established
farm-to-school efforts, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables rank among
students' favorite meal options, especially in elementary and middle
schools. Taking part in a farm-to-school program helps students feel
more connected to their communities and to the natural world, while
encouraging a lifetime of healthy eating habits and informed consumer
choices.
 |
| Our project helps teachers link learning to the
lunchroom. |
Teachers
Many farm-to-school programs offer nutrition-education resources to teachers, which helps schools integrate their nutrition programs into their curricula. Experiential opportunities, such as field trips to farms and restaurants, school gardening, composting, and taste-testing local products further help teachers link learning to the lunchroom.
School Food Service
The economic viability of buying locally grown food is very important to school food services involved in farm-to-school efforts.
Buying from local farmers reduces long-distance transportation and handling of foods, sometimes resulting in lower costs. In addition, some school food service directors have found that farm-to-school programs boost revenue by drawing more students into school lunch programs. In addition to these economic factors, many food service administrators and personnel appreciate the opportunity to reconnect with students and their nutrition education.
Community
Farm-to-school programs deepen connections between schools and their communities. In Wisconsin, farms and farming are an integral part of our cultural landscape, deserving of our respect and sustained support. Children's budding understanding of the role they play in their local food system enters into discussions at home, encouraging families to become supporters and consumers of locally and sustainably produced foods.
 |
| Farm-to-school programs help preserve family farms and farmland. |
Farmers
Agricultural areas in Southern Wisconsin are increasingly threatened by sprawling urban development. In fact, according to the
American Farmland Trust, Dane County's agricultural lands are among the third most threatened nationwide. Farm-to-school programs help preserve family farms and farmland by developing stable, institutional markets for local agricultural products, as well as by raising awareness within communities concerning challenges that confront small farm operators today.
 |
| Farm-to-school
programs also support and promote sustainable agriculture. |
Environment
Sustainable agriculture refers to farming methods that are ecologically sound (protecting the health of our waters, soils and air), humane, health-promoting, and economically just. By supporting sustainable producers through consumer demand, individuals can use their purchasing power to vote for a healthy food system and a healthy environment.
Buying locally further
helps the environment by reducing the impacts of transporting food
hundreds and often thousands of miles.
Farm-to-school projects support and promote local and sustainable
agriculture in the short term, through direct purchases and in the long
term, through education of the next generation of consumers.
|
Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch