Schools

Get Schooled: Serving Produce Lessons in the Classroom

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:59:14 GMT

Bachelor survival — that was the unofficial name of Mrs. Phillips’ home economics course I took when I was a high school senior many years ago. I can’t honestly recall the exact name of the course, but the bachelor survival name is what many of us called it.

The moniker mostly fit since, as the name implies, a bunch of senior guys opted for the elective because, I admit, it was a part of our “senior slide.” It was an attractive, easy credit as school inched nearer to graduation.

A course like bachelor survival all but guaranteed that we’d have nothing but kicks and no homework. Easy.

Well, kind of. While we weren’t sweating over elongated mathematic equations, we did learn a lot of practical life skills. Things we didn’t even know would come in handy. We learned how to sew a little, using a Frostline kit to make a down vest. We touched upon budgeting and personal finance, as well as home management.

Among other units, we learned about meal planning, nutrition and, of course, meal preparation.

This meant we were tasked in our small teams to budget for, plan, shop, prepare and serve a fair number of meals. Since I was already established in my after-school produce job, much of this course actually applied.

While the class wasn’t as cerebral as my college-prep language courses, the food unit of the bachelor survival course was challenging, interesting and satisfying. The best part of all was that, indeed, we enjoyed eating the meals we planned.

Years later as a produce specialist, one part of my job was visiting college and high school nutrition and “food arts” classes — not unlike what I had experienced years later.

It was sort of like the ’70s TV series, “Welcome Back, Kotter,” right?

As a guest speaker, you might imagine that, especially at the high school level, I found the coed groups were just as antsy and just as excited as we were as the school approached graduation. Perhaps more so.

I typically supplied a few large boxes of mostly specialty produce for such talks, gleaned from the produce warehouse the same morning (as I figured everyone already knew how to identify common things such as apples or oranges).

As part of my plan, I’d call out to all the women in the class and ask how many of them would like the guy to fix dinner.

Every girl’s hand shot straight up. The guys in class suddenly became quiet, even a bit shocked. You could just read their mind: “Fix my date dinner? We thought that girls, you know, preferred muscles, stylish clothes, sporty cars, looks, boyish charms, perhaps a guy holding down a job.” I echoed their thoughts out loud.

Maybe so, I emphasized, but fix her dinner and that will impress her more than anything. And I continued — I have just the formula here to help you bozos out.

That’s when I showed them how to fix something simple like, say, stir-fry.

I showed them how to identify and break off ribs of bok choy; how to ask for a portion of napa cabbage; how to add ingredients such as mushrooms, green onions, snap peas, fresh ginger, broccoli florets, zucchini, peppers; how to add the protein (or not); and how to quickly cut, clean, season and fix the dish in practically no time. I let the students sample everything as they gathered around for the impromptu feast.

It was awesome, as the kids say these days, and consider that this was all before any chef celebrity influencers like Alton Brown, Rachel Ray, among others. It was just one old produce guy speaking to the next generation, and they loved it.

The most important bachelor lesson of all imparted? Be a gentleman — and make sure you clean up after yourself.

Armand Lobato’s more than 50 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions. He has written a weekly retail column for two decades.

Growing 200K Salads: How Milwaukee Schools Are Redefining Urban Food Access

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:48:39 GMT

Editor’s note: This story is part of an ongoing Sowing Change series about urban farming.

Fork Farms is redefining what it means to be a food access technology company. While traditional agriculture relies on long, complex supply chains stretching from places like Yuma, Ariz., to California’s Salinas Valley, Fork Farms focuses on a decentralized model of growing fresh food exactly where people live, work and learn.

By providing highly efficient, plug-and-play hydroponic systems, the company is solving the common challenge of fresh food scarcity across diverse sectors, including hospitals, food pantries and large-scale commercial environments, such as Fortune 500 company Rockwell Automation.

“No matter what the application is, we’re always trying to build systems and programs and products just to allow people to grow fresh food, whether it’s where they live or work or it’s a community center,” says Josh Mahlik, vice president of sales for Fork Farms.

The reach of this Wisconsin-based company now extends to approximately 5,000 partners across U.S. and internationally. In the Caribbean, for example, their technology is used to build food resiliency in the Cayman Islands and Barbados, providing a local alternative to vulnerable international supply chains. Whether in a hospital wing or a community center, the goal remains consistent: to create a positive perception of fresh food and ensure that it is economically viable to produce, with most growers operating at a cost of less than $1 per pound.

Forest Home Avenue School students learn about fresh produce.

(Photo courtesy of Fork Farms)

The Milwaukee Public Schools Partnership

While Fork Farms spans multiple industries, its eight-year partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools serves as an example of how this technology can be integrated into the fabric of a community. What began as a science experiment has evolved into a legitimate, districtwide food supply chain that provides students with significant agency over what they grow.

The engine behind this success is the Flex Farm, a unit roughly the size of a standard refrigerator that uses a patented utility design. By placing a light tower in the center and closing the hydroponic unit around it, the system achieves remarkable density:

High yield — Each system features 288 grow spots, producing approximately 25 pounds of fresh produce every month.
Efficiency — The design makes local food practical at scale within existing buildings and real estate.
Ancillary benefits — Beyond nutrition, these units improve the learning environment by lowering carbon dioxide levels in classrooms by about 200 parts per million, which can lead to better student attention and behavior.

The impact in Milwaukee extends far beyond the cafeteria. At Vincent High School, a grow room with 12 units fosters an entrepreneurial spirit, with students sprouting and selling tomato seedlings at annual plant sales. The program also uses a formative platform offering 44 NGS-aligned curriculum items and a micro-credentialing badging program to prepare students for the future workforce.

Perhaps most importantly, the program creates a bridge to the home. Mahlik notes that when students take home the kale or marigolds they have grown, it has a resonance that traditional grocery store produce lacks. This intergenerational impact often shifts household habits, as parents report being more likely to purchase fresh vegetables after seeing their children’s excitement and pride in their harvest, according to the company.

As the partnership enters its eighth year, what was once a novelty has become the norm, with some graduates even moving on to pursue agricultural degrees through land-grant scholarships.

“My dream for [the schools] is that every student, at least, gets the opportunity to grow their own food at some point while they’re in school,” Mahlik says.

Your Next Read:

Irrigation Challenge Asks Students to Engage in a Real Ag Issue

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 19:35:48 GMT

How can we improve the efficiency of irrigation by using, rather than battling, gravity? That is at the heart of a challenge school kids can tackle this fall and potentially win prizes.

Purple Plow, an educational project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, recently announced its latest challenge for students in grades five through 12 — “ Water Wise Farms: Gravity in Action .” The challenge asks participating students or classrooms to design irrigation systems to deal with the real-world problem of water management on sloped farmland.

“Purple Plow Challenges are designed to create authentic learning experiences for students,” Julia Recko, managing director of AFBFA, tells The Packer.

“They have students research a real agricultural issue — for this challenge, it’s irrigation — design and test a solution, and present their findings, helping to build critical skills in leadership and problem-solving.”

Recko says Purple Plow and AFBFA chose irrigation for this year’s challenge to focus on water use. The challenge page and its accompanying materials for students and teachers note that roughly 70% of all freshwater withdrawals around the world are for agricultural use. She also characterized the challenge as designed to be crop-agnostic and as an engaging learning opportunity to get kids interested in agriculture.

Meghan Shamdasani, career and technical education coordinator at SouthTech Academy in Boynton Beach, Fla., and teacher of one of the 2023 winning teams, called the experience a fun, engaging way to incorporate agricultural awareness into the STEM classroom in Purple Plow’s announcement of the new challenge.

“Students apply real-world problem-solving skills to agricultural challenges,” Shamdasani says. “One of their favorite parts is integrating social media platforms into their projects to share their process, promote agricultural awareness, and showcase innovative solutions to authentic issues facing the industry.”

Challenge logistics

Those interested in participating in the challenge have until 12:00 a.m. on Dec. 2 to submit their entries. Individual students, teams, or whole classrooms can participate. There are two categories of participants: junior for participants in grades five through eight, and senior for participants in grades nine through twelve.

Purple Plow’s challenge page includes a full suite of resources for participants and their teachers, including a challenge guide for students, a content packet for teachers with background content plus a PowerPoint presentation, design frameworks for one-week and multiweek challenges, the challenge’s rubric and the required student reflection sheet .

According to Purple Plow, participating students will “learn to apply key scientific principles, prototyping strategies and design thinking to solve that exact problem. Creators will craft solutions that deliver water where it’s needed most, using techniques like drip lines, channel adjustments or engineered terrain modifications.”

Submissions are judged according to a rubric that prioritizes demonstrated understanding and in-depth discussion of the challenge’s key elements. For example, an exemplary entry will include multiple trials of a design or simulation, showing a clear testing and revision process, and the accompanying documentation will clearly explain in detail how the trials connect with real-world irrigation issues and the supporting evidence.

Recko says winning participants or teams can also get more than just a learning experience from participation.

“Winners are gifted either a 3D printer or their teacher can choose an Amazon gift card to help them purchase resources for future science projects,” she says. Winning teams and/or their teacher can also opt to be featured in the Purple Plow blog.

Food, Water and Ag on the Ballot in Colorado, Texas

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:13:41 GMT

Presidential elections get a lot of attention. Attention starts dropping off for midterm elections. But off-year elections? Voters might not even know about them.

This year, on Nov. 4, citizens in at least 22 states will get to vote on a variety of state- and local-level positions and issues. Most ballot items deal with local nitty-gritty issues like school board members, bonds and city council representatives, but some will feature state-level issues as well.

Colorado and Texas in particular have four ballot measures that deal with food access and ag-adjacent concerns.

Colorado’s Food-Funding Props LL and MM

Every Colorado voter will be asked two statewide ballot issues: Propositions LL and MM . Both deal with food funding via tax changes, though neither create new taxes.

Prop LL asks voters if the state can keep the $12.43 million excess tax money it collected from high-income taxpayers following the creation of the state’s universal free Healthy School Meals for All program in 2022. The money would fund the program and, eventually, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the state. According to Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, any tax revenue collected in excess of estimates proposed to voters must be returned unless citizens vote to let the state keep it.

Prop MM would reduce the tax deduction levels for the same high-income Colorado taxpayers who paid excess taxes for the HSMA program. Currently, the itemized or standard tax deductions are $12,000 for single filers and $16,000 for joint filers. The measure proposes to reduce these levels to $1,000 and $2,000 respectively. The additional revenue generated from this would also go to fund the HSMA program and SNAP. If passed by voters, the state estimates that up to $95 million could be generated by the measure.

The HSMA program provides universal free breakfasts and lunches to all Colorado public school students rather than just those students who qualify based on economic need. Eligibility for free or reduced-cost school meals for students are often tied to household eligibility for support programs, such as SNAP, WIC and Medicare. The passage of the Federal Budget Reconciliation tightened eligibility standards for such programs across the country. Nonprofit group Illuminate Colorado estimates that almost 300,000 Colorado families will lose some or all of their SNAP benefits as a result.

Every registered Colorado voter should have received a ballot by mail. Ballots must be dropped off at designated drop boxes or at polling places by 7 p.m. on Nov. 4. Voters who opt to vote in-person can do so, but they must return their unused mailed ballots. For more information, visit the Colorado secretary of state’s voter information page .

Propping Up Water Funds With Texas’ Prop 4

Proposition 4 asks Texas voters to amend the state’s constitution to get more dedicated funding for water infrastructure in the state. Water in the arid state is already a pressing agricultural issue , particularly since the state largely depends on increasingly late, short and unreliable water deliveries from Mexico . But the state’s population is also growing rapidly, according to the Texas Water Development Board , and there is already a massive funding shortfall for the state’s water infrastructure needs.

Rather than create a new tax, the amendment would earmark up to $1 billion per year of the state’s existing sales and use tax revenue for the Texas Water Fund for 20 years, starting September 2027. The Texas Water fund would get the first $1 billion in sales and use tax revenue after $46.5 billion was collected each fiscal year. According to the Texas comptroller , the state brought in $47.2 billion in sales and use tax revenue in 2024.

The Texas Water Fund was established in 2023 is administered by the TWDB, which has the mission to “ensure a secure water future for Texas.” The fund’s money can be used for water infrastructure efforts, including reservoir-building efforts, as well as funding other water-related programs TWDB already oversees.

Taking Off Texas Taxes on Animal Feed

Texans will also be asked to weigh in on Proposition 5 . This is another proposed amendment to the state’s constitution that would exempt animal feed held on a property for retail sale from property taxes.

The amendment was authored by Texas state Rep. Cody Harris, R-District 8. In his analysis document, Harris notes that “animal feed is typically exempt from taxation at each location or transaction during its life cycle,” except for when it is inventory and the amendment “seeks to address this inconsistency.”

Texas voters can vote early through Oct. 31 or vote on Election Day, Nov. 4. Texas voters can find their polling places as well as Election Day information here .

Your next read:

Minnesota Farm to School Program Nourishes Students and Strengthens Local Food Economy

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:43:30 GMT

On Oct. 13, the lunch trays at Winona Area Public Schools were filled with turkey and wild rice brats, delicata squash and crisp Minnesota apples, all sourced from local farms. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture stopped by as part of National Farm to School Month, and the cafeteria hummed like a farmer’s market with students, lawmakers and local food champions sampling the fruits (and brats) of state investment.

The visit was part of MDA’s monthlong celebration highlighting its Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Farm to School and Early Care Grant program. The grants help schools serve Minnesota-grown foods while opening new market doors for the state’s farmers.

Jennifer Walters, Winona Area Public Schools’ nutrition director, hosted lawmakers, farmers and representatives from the Minnesota departments of Agriculture and Education to show how state investment has helped to transform school meals in their district. She used AGRI Urban Ag Grant funds to help purchase hydroponic towers for growing lettuce and is a recipient of AGRI Farm to School Grant funds to reimburse her for qualifying local food purchases, which included the turkey and wild rice brats, delicata and apples that were on the lunch line during the visit.

“These grants have really transformed our meals,” Walters says. “We’re able to put nutritious, local food on the menu and show students exactly where it comes from.”

MDA Farm to Institution Coordinator Kate Seybold joined Jayme Anderson, the farm to school and early care project consultant for the Minnesota Department of Education, and Walters to showcase the district’s growing local food program.

During a Q&A with guests, Walters said delivery was one of the barriers to sourcing local. Sourcing from many smaller producers to serve her district is a logistical challenge, Walters says, and is mitigated by working with her local Farmers Market Food Hub in Red Wing, Minn.

Sara George, farmer-focused program manager with Renewing the Countryside, has been working to make that process smoother. Her team runs a network of Farmers Market Food Hubs — including the one in Red Wing that supplies Walters’ school meals.

“Schools and wholesale buyers want to buy local, but who has the time to call John, text Jane and email Joe just to get ingredients for next week’s menu?” George says. “That’s when we came up with the idea for a farmers market food hub. Think of it as the Amazon of local foods.”

Through these hubs, farmers list their products online and buyers like school nutrition directors can order with one click. The result? Hundreds of thousands of dollars in local food sales — and a stronger connection between farms and schools statewide.

“The relationships our seven hub managers have built with farmers and institutional buyers have really moved the needle on local foods throughout Minnesota,” George says.

As students lined up for lunch, the event underscored how local food isn’t just a passing trend; it’s a movement that’s nourishing communities, supporting farmers and giving school lunch a fresh twist.

Texas Ag Commissioner Champions Farmers and Schools with Farm Fresh Challenge

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:03:23 GMT

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller kicked off the 2025 Texas Farm Fresh Challenge on Oct. 2.

Every October, which is also Farm to School Month, schools and child care centers join the challenge to make eating local food and learning about Texas agriculture fun for children and staff. Farm Fresh Challenge participants earn recognition for serving Texas products, offering agricultural learning opportunities and highlighting their efforts on social media, according to a news release.

“Texas children should cultivate a healthy appetite for fresh food from a local farm or ranch.” Miller says. “During the Farm Fresh Challenge, children learn about local food and the men and women who produce it. Our child nutrition professionals are ensuring kids know that hard-working farmers and ranchers are behind every meal they eat.”

The Farm Fresh Challenge is a centerpiece of Miller’s Farm Fresh Initiative, a comprehensive plan to create more nutrition-program opportunities for Texas agricultural producers and increase the amount of local food in the 1 billion meals served annually in Texas in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) resources help nutrition professionals achieve any level of recognition, the release says. TDA-curated recipes include ingredients that are available from Texas producers. The department also created a success guide with a step-by-step plan for earning recognition, a tracking tool for recording achievements necessary for recognition and learning resources such as flashcards, word games and coloring pages. A social media toolkit helps participants champion their programs online, and promotional stickers and buttons are fun additions to the excitement, the release says.

The Farm Fresh Challenge also drives participation in the TDA’s Farm Fresh Network, which includes 239 agricultural producers prepared to provide Texas products for federal nutrition programs. Farm Fresh Challenge participants can use the network to find local producers and purchase their vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy and more.

For more information about the Farm Fresh Challenge, visit SquareMeals.org/FarmFreshChallenge .

No Kid Hungry Back-to-School Report: School Meals Serve as Lifeline

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 21:23:54 GMT

The Census Bureau released its annual report on poverty in the U.S. for 2024, showing child poverty rates at 13.4%.

“Too many kids are still facing poverty, and it’s about to get worse,” says George Kelemen, senior vice president for Share Our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign. “The poverty report shows millions of families are still struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. As the cost of food continues to rise, even more kids will face hunger.

“Moreover, the nearly $200 billion in cuts to SNAP that Congress passed this summer will make it significantly harder for those facing poverty to feed their children. Millions of families will lose access to SNAP altogether.

“These cuts and changes to SNAP not only punish working families but will also make it nearly impossible for some states to continue administering one of our nation’s most effective anti-hunger programs. We know where this leads: more kids facing poverty and hunger.

Still, Kelemen says, it’s not too late to change course.

“Congress must act now to reverse these devastating changes to vital assistance programs,” he says.

An overwhelming number of parents are facing more challenges to put food on the table for their kids due to rising food costs and a worsening job market, according to new research released by No Kid Hungry .

Among the national sample of parents surveyed, more than one in four families reported experiencing the loss of a job, and four out of 10 parents reported a worsening financial situation. This, paired with the steadily rising costs of living, resulted in more than one-third of parents reporting that they worried about their households running out of food during the summer break, and 40% having to make tough trade-offs like choosing between paying emergency bills and purchasing healthy food for their children over the past year.

“It feels like no matter how much you earn, nothing kind of remains. It’s living paycheck by paycheck. When you are on a tight budget, a meal from a school helps you pass through that difficult phase.”

“ Research shows that the meals kids eat at school are often the most nutritionally balanced meals they get all day,” Kelemen says. “And that’s because school meals meet robust nutritional standards, including produce with at least one serving of fruit and one serving of vegetables with every meal. Many schools serve fresh fruits and vegetables and offer salad bars or cook meals from scratch each day. As shown in our new back-to-school report , when kids have access to healthy, nutritious meals like they do at school, everyone benefits. Kids attend school more regularly, can focus in the classroom, and it alleviates stress and financial strain for parents who indicated that their children may not have food to eat at school some days if the school meal program did not exist.”

According to a mother surveyed in Colorado: “Making ends meet is the biggest challenge right now. We both work with five kids in the house. It’s a stretch every month to meet everybody’s needs. It’s tough in this economy. And we do have concerns about feeding them. We watch our dollars a lot closer, but there are times when we can barely scrape things together to make a meal.”

For many kids, summer is the hungriest time of year when kids lose access to free and reduced-price school meals. As two in three parents worry food prices will continue to rise throughout the year, the back-to-school season marks the return of these essential school meal programs, providing stress and financial relief for parents and caregivers struggling to make ends meet and ensuring kids have access to the most important school supply: food.

Key findings from the report include:

School meals increase academic success and attendance rates

83% of parents agree their children have a hard time concentrating when hungry. Having a full belly ensures kids have the mental clarity necessary to learn with 88% reporting that school meals help their child(ren) focus and do better in school.
Three out of five parents report that school meals motivate their children to attend school regularly. And some parents report increased extracurricular engagement as well.

School meal programs reduce mental and financial stress for parents and help build stronger families

With more than half of parents worrying about the necessary costs of going back to school like clothes and notebooks, school lunch and breakfast programs ease the concern for food access while their kid(s) are in the classroom. Nearly half of the parents indicated their children might not have food to eat at school some days if the school meal program did not exist.
Over three in five parents say school meals are extremely valuable for their family. For many parents, this value can come in the form of mental health benefits and the ability to be more present with their kids.
While nearly half of parents believe the stress they feel interferes with their parenting, even more — two in three — report school meals help reduce it.

Another parent, a father in Georgia, reported: “It feels like no matter how much you earn, nothing kind of remains. It’s living paycheck by paycheck. When you are on a tight budget, a meal from a school helps you pass through that difficult phase.”

“It goes beyond just meals,” Kelemen says, “when kids can rely on the meals they receive at school, everyone benefits. It means more stability for hard-working parents who are managing the stresses of rising costs and living paycheck to paycheck. It means kids can grow up healthier, focus in the classroom and are more likely to graduate and escape the cycle of poverty. Stronger, smarter kids mean a stronger, smarter nation for us all.”

Tan France, Tiffany Derry, Kristin Cavallari and Chelsey White have teamed up with No Kid Hungry to bring awareness that food is the most important school supply.

(Image courtesy of No Kid Hungry)

TV host and designer, Tan France; chef and restaurateur, Tiffany Derry; TV personality, Kristin Cavallari; and baking blogger, Chelsey White have teamed up with No Kid Hungry to bring awareness to the importance of school meal programs.

“As a parent, you want the best for your kids,” France says. “School meals allow kids that opportunity to be their best and for families to be happier and healthier in every aspect. I’m proud to team up with No Kid Hungry to bring attention to these findings and help more kids access the food they need to thrive inside and outside of the classroom this year.”

Nearly 14 million kids in the U.S. are living with hunger, but No Kid Hungry says it is changing that by working with schools and communities across the country to make sure they have the resources and funds they need to strengthen school meal programs like breakfast, lunch and after-school meals to feed as many students as possible. In the 2023-24 school year, No Kid Hungry’s partners served more than 374 million meals to kids and families nationwide.

Bayer and DNO Put Broccoli Stems to the Test in School Lunch Menus

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:21:46 GMT

Getting kids excited about vegetables isn’t easy, but Vegetables by Bayer and DNO Produce have teamed up for the challenge. The two companies are bringing broccoli stems, the often-overlooked part of the plant, into K-12 cafeterias in four schools.

This collaboration aims to empower schools to offer fresh vegetables while reducing food waste through maximizing the full production potential of the crop, according to a news release. The collaboration also addresses the needs of processors and consumers while creating opportunities for vegetable growers.

Vegetables by Bayer, along with DNO Produce, the exclusive provider of FresHealth fresh-cut produce, are helping to make nutrition enjoyable and accessible by introducing new fresh-cut broccoli chips to K-12 school children. These chips are the sweet-tasting snack of the future, the release says, offering a tasty and wholesome option that is also fun to eat.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to transform something often overlooked — like broccoli stems — into a delicious, nutritious snack for kids,” says Jenny Maloney, director of industry relations for Bayer Vegetable Seeds. “Through our collaboration with DNO Produce and the innovation behind High Rise broccoli, we’re making healthy eating more fun and accessible in schools. It’s a powerful example of how creativity in agriculture can support better habits and brighter futures.”

“Our school district is committed to both nutrition and innovation, and we’re always looking for ways to get kids excited about fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Jessica Shelly, director of student dining services for Cincinnati Public Schools. “The broccoli chip pilot was a hit with our students across all grade levels. Collaborating with industry partners who share our passion for innovating school meals makes all the difference.”

Experts from the R&D team at Seminis, a brand of Vegetables by Bayer, are continuously driving innovation in vegetable breeding, developing advanced seed solutions to help meet the evolving needs of growers and consumers, leading to the development of the long-stem High Rise broccoli series, the company says. Unlike traditional compact broccoli, High Rise broccoli features tall stems, uniform heads and few large leaves, resulting in clean stems and a product that overall helps with ease of harvest. FresHealth then processes these stems to create ready-to-eat products for K–12 schools, which has already received a positive reception in early in-school pilots. This approach generates a new market for growers, reduces on-farm waste and improves access to healthy foods in schools, the release says.

“There’s no better place to launch a new vegetable variety than in a school cafeteria. Kids are honest, adventurous eaters and their feedback is second to none,” says Alex DiNovo, president of DNO Produce. “Our mission has always been to increase access, exposure, education and excitement around fresh fruits and vegetables. We know the green vegetable subgroup can be one of the hardest to fill, and these broccoli chips help create a crunchy, creative, compliant option for school foodservice operators.”

“Our broccoli chip collaboration is a powerful example of what we can achieve when innovation and mission align across the produce industry,” says Marissa Dake, vice president of brand and partnerships for DNO Produce. “With Vegetables by Bayer, we share a commitment to nourishing the next generation of produce consumers. We are excited to bring solutions that are as tasty as they are impactful and expand what’s possible for fresh produce in school foodservice and beyond.”

What was once an underused byproduct in broccoli production, the tall and uniform stems can be used in multiple culinary applications. The tender and sweet-tasting stems can be processed into not only chips but sticks, stars and coin shapes. The versatility means it can also be processed into rice and noodles or used in slaw and other dishes to add texture while adding flavor. Broccoli chips are currently in the pipeline for future school foodservice offerings, with plans underway to expand availability, the release says. However, harvest timing and supply are still being finalized.

“Stay tuned for updates as we work to bring this exciting new product to more students nationwide,” the company says.

Desert blooms: How urban farming transforms Las Vegas schools

Mon, 05 May 2025 19:30:38 GMT

Editor’s note: The following is part of an ongoing “Sowing Change” series about urban farming.

In the heart of Las Vegas, a quiet revolution is taking place in schoolyards. Green Our Planet , one of the largest school garden programs in the U.S., is transforming how students connect with their food, their environment and their future.

The Packer spoke with Elizabeth Schroeder, senior farmer for Green Our Planet, about the program’s growth from a single pilot to a citywide movement changing young lives.

A program takes root

Every movement starts with a spark. For Green Our Planet, that spark ignited from a desire to connect students to the natural world while addressing critical issues like nutrition, STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) and water conservation in a city known more for its bright lights than its greenery.

The program is achieving its goal, now in 44 states and five countries, with impressive results; in surveys, 93% of students show an increase in STEM content knowledge; 83% of students show an increase in behavior, STEM engagement and healthy eating habits.

What began as a few raised beds in Las Vegas has grown to over 200 school gardens across the city. These gardens aren’t simply beautifying the schoolyards; they’re also improving student engagement, boosting science test scores and fostering healthier eating habits.

Elizabeth Schroeder, senior farmer, started at Green Our Planet in September 2022.

(Photo courtesy of Green Our Planet)

A need to learn the land

Before heading to Las Vegas, Schroeder farmed in South Carolina and Florida. The move to the desert brought new challenges.

“This is the place I’ve had to be the most resilient, because in South Carolina and Florida we [literally] stuck a tomato in the ground and it grew with barely any irrigation,” Schroeder says.

The desert environment leads to a short planting window as well.

“If you don’t get your seeds in early, it just won’t work,” she says. “For example, in planting pumpkins, we get them in as early as possible in the hopes that the plant will be big enough to withstand the extreme summer heat.”

It gets so hot that the plants experience a dormant season in the middle of summer, says Schroeder, adding that farmers use cover crops as part of organic practices.

“We use the chop-and-drop method to mulch the soil because we really like to have physical barriers to shade the soil,” she says. “That helps so much.”

A calling to teach

Schroeder started at Green Our Planet in September 2022. After staying home with her daughter for two years and growing food together in their backyard, she says she learned the value of teaching children to grow food.

“We learned together, composting and getting our hands dirty, so when I got the position with Green Our Planet, I knew it was the perfect job,” she says.

The chance to work in gardens and get children involved felt like a calling.

Schroeder started as a farmer and worked up to the senior farmer position, in which her main role is educating the rest of the farmer team about growing practices.

Three teams of two people work the gardens and visit each school garden once every two weeks. To fill the time when they’re not on site, Schroeder says they educate students and teachers to care for their gardens in the interim.

In addition to learning from the growing experience, students put on a large student farmers market twice each year.

(Photo courtesy of Green Our Planet)

Fruits of their labor

In addition to learning from the growing experience, students put on a farmers market twice each year, which Schroeder says is the largest student-run farmers market in the nation.

“The students come out and harvest on the morning of the market. During the week, they’re out there pulling weeds, planting stuff as part of the garden clubs,” she says. “At the farmers markets, the students take the vegetables and crafts they’ve created and sell them. Then all of the profit gets reinvested back into the garden club at each school.”

Students also take home produce to enjoy.

“It’s not fun that there are food deserts, but it is fun that I get to show kids that they can eat fresh food in the food deserts around Las Vegas,” Schroeder says. “There are some places you can only go to a corner store for anything to eat or a food truck or something.”

But now, children and adults alike are learning where bees come from, where peas come from and how strawberries grow, she says.

“It’s cool to teach people how their food grows, where it comes from and how long it takes to grow things that we can readily buy at the grocery store,” Schroeder says. “So many people don’t realize where our food comes from.”

Your next read:

TIPA, The Packer honor a champion of healthy nutrition

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:47:10 GMT

HOUSTON — Betti Wiggins is a driving force in helping students in the Houston Independent School District access fresh produce. The Packer and the Texas International Produce Association honored Wiggins, the school district’s nutrition services officer, with the 2025 Healthy Living Award.

Raised on a farm in southern Michigan, Wiggins developed an appreciation for fresh, locally sourced food at a young age.

A distinguished leader in school nutrition, she is renowned for transforming food services in urban school districts.

Wiggins held positions in various school districts, including Ann Arbor, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., before transforming Detroit’s school nutrition by introducing fresh, locally sourced foods and eliminating processed foods, as well as establishing the Detroit School Garden Collaborative, which created more than 80 student-run gardens to foster food literacy and community engagement.

“Spurred by a 2009 report on Detroit’s high rate of childhood obesity, [Wiggins] started spending more money on quality ingredients, partnering with local farmers to buy and serve fresh produce like jicama and snap peas,” said TIPA President and CEO Dante Galeazzi. “Out went chocolate milk and hot dogs — what Wiggins calls ‘carnival food’ — replaced by foods that reflect the diversity of the students, like hummus and curried rice.”

As the nutrition services officer for Houston ISD, Wiggins oversees meal programs for more than 280,000 students throughout 287 schools. She helped implement salad bars in elementary schools, ensured free meals for all students and introduced the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program.

Wiggins has also established a food literacy curriculum and school gardens to inspire a solid understanding of healthy nutrition and food sourcing.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, Wiggins was recognized for her impact on child nutrition as one of Time magazine’s “50 Most Influential People in Health Care” in 2018.

The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association also presented Wiggins with its Silver Plate Award, coming only second to chef Wolfgang Puck.

Galeazzi lauded Wiggins for her willingness to always advocate for more access to fresh produce in schools, noting she has recently worked with TIPA to advance a proposed legislation to increase the amount of money she can pay farmers to increase the amount of Texas-grown fresh produce in Houston ISD’s meals.

“Betti is a vocal and passionate individual who is not shy about pushing congressional representatives or federal government agencies to do more to advance healthy eating and fresh produce over processed foods in schools,” Galeazzi said.

Wiggins, in accepting the award, said she loves collaborating with the farmers she works with.

“Anybody that depends upon the sun, the moon, the stars, the water table, to do their job and to feed America, you can’t have anything but respect for them,” she said. “And throughout the years, I have this affinity that they’re helping ensure my kids get good food and healthy food to put on their trays.”

Wiggins encouraged those in the fresh produce industry to continue to advocate for expanded access to fresh produce and healthy meals for children.

“I tell my people, even in my work, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the table,” she said. “We need to be assured that that, that the farmers recognize the important role they play in health. I’d rather have my kid eat avocado that’s creamy and good and delicious, as opposed to a candy bar that’s creamy, sugary and not in the best interest of their health.”

Wiggins said she sees herself, and the school meals that her team provides, as an extension of the types of foods children have access to at the family dinner.

“That won’t happen unless the food is available to me, and right now it’s not available to me because of policy and need, and it’s your responsibility as a farmer, grower, manufacturer to ensure that I have that opportunity,” she said.

School cooking and nutrition education programs to share $250K in grants

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:57:48 GMT

The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation says it has awarded $250,000 in Get Kids Cooking grants to support youth cooking and nutrition education programs at schools.

An estimated 7,000 students at 25 schools will participate in these new programs , with help from Sprouts, according to a news release.

“Hands-on experiences preparing fresh snacks and meals help kids build real skills and a positive connection with healthy eating,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “At school, these lessons also bring science, math and problem-solving to life, making learning more engaging and fun.”

The schools were selected from more than 1,300 nominations submitted by Sprouts Farmers Market customers as part of its Get Kids Cooking contest in January, the release said. Each winning school will receive educational materials and supplies for operating a student cooking program.

Each grant, valued at $10,000, includes a mobile cooking cart, small appliances and kitchen essentials, classroom-friendly recipes, plus gift cards to purchase fresh ingredients at Sprouts, and a stipend for the educator teaching the program, the company said.

“This grant will help energize our culinary science program and give our school the extra boost we need to provide all 450 students on campus with regular cooking experiences throughout the year,” Janet Ankrum, a middle school STEM/exploratory teacher at Catalina Ventura School in Phoenix, said in the release. “It’s a dream come true for our students.”

Sprouts says it has championed school-based gardening and cooking programs since 2015, recognizing the positive impact growing, tasting and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables has in shaping a child’s long-term preferences for healthy eating. An estimated 3 million children will participate in nutrition education programs funded by the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation this year, the release said.

HelloFresh spotlights rising student hunger ahead of spring break

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:30:26 GMT

Meal kit provider HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry, a campaign focused on ending childhood hunger, have announced new research from U.S. teachers and a “No Breaks for Hunger” campaign to raise awareness of and help address student hunger, especially during school breaks.

For many kids across the U.S., March and April mark spring break. For many kids who rely on in-school meals, however, school breaks are characterized by worry over where their next meal is coming from. This issue is particularly urgent for the nearly 14 million kids who live in households facing food insecurity, meaning they do not have access to enough food for every family member to lead a healthy life, according to a news release.

Teachers are on the front lines of the fight against childhood hunger, helping students get access to food and referring families to resources, the release said. They often witness the effects of hunger on students, such as difficulty concentrating and lower academic performance. Recognizing that K-12 teachers have unique insights into the issue of childhood hunger, HelloFresh said it commissioned Hunger Matters for Students, a nationally representative survey of American teachers.

Key findings include:

Teachers regularly see kids come to school hungry — Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) teachers said they are concerned about food insecurity in the communities where they teach. And 3 in 5 teachers (61%) reported knowing firsthand that their students are experiencing hunger, with more than half (54%) seeing kids come to school hungry a few times a week or more.
Many teachers worry about their students’ ability to access nutritious meals when they are not in school — Almost 9 out of 10 teachers (89%) said they are concerned about students generally having enough to eat during school breaks. Nearly three-quarters (74%) said they worry about their student’s ability to access nutritious meals specifically during school breaks.
Most teachers have personally taken action to address student hunger — Almost all (92%) of teachers said they have taken steps to address the problem of their students’ hunger. Almost half (49%) reported personally providing students with food in the classroom, and more than one-quarter (29%) said they have bought food for students to eat outside of the classroom. Among these teachers, 78% said they have spent up to $100 per month of their own money.
The majority of teachers would like action to be taken — 85% of teachers agreed they would like to see more done about the current state of hunger for K-12 students.

”With the rising cost of everyday essentials, like rent and food, it’s evident that many families are struggling — and that means their kids are too,” said Jeffrey Yorzyk, senior director of sustainability for HelloFresh. “These troubling insights from America’s teachers make one thing clear: It’s time to act with urgency. That’s why we’re proud to continue our partnership with No Kid Hungry to address this serious and growing issue and do our part to help kids to thrive in school and at home.”

This spring break, HelloFresh said it is taking action to support teachers who are helping their hungry students and to ease the burden placed on these students’ families during school breaks. In partnership with local nonprofits and public school districts, HelloFresh will support students and families with free meal kits featuring wholesome, family-friendly recipes ahead of spring break in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Newark, N.J.; and Buckeye, Ariz., the release said.

HelloFresh said it is encouraging families nationwide to apply for LimeAid grants, which offer 12 weeks of free meal kits. Because teachers see the impact of hunger firsthand, HelloFresh also is calling on educators to nominate students’ families in need and, in turn, enter for a chance to win a gift card for classroom supplies and resources.

“Teachers are sounding the alarm; the current state of child hunger is unacceptable,” said Allison Shuffield, managing director of corporate partnerships for Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. “These findings really show the extent of the child hunger crisis in America and how it’s keeping kids from reaching their full potential. With the support of partners like HelloFresh, we are committed to working across sectors to strengthen and protect programs that ensure kids get the nutrition they need all year round.”

Last year, HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry worked together to address the summer hunger gap through the 13 for 13 Million campaign, an effort to raise awareness of the issue and provide critical support to parents and families in need. With the help of trusted partners, HelloFresh hosted distribution events and pop-up pantries in 13 regions across the country and pointed families to critical resources, like summer EBT benefits, the release said.

Related link: More about the HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry initiative

Ohio firm awarded federal contract to supply fresh produce

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:01:57 GMT

DNO Inc., Columbus, Ohio, has been awarded a maximum $267.8 million federal contract to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to schools in Michigan according to a news release .

The Defense Logistics Agency contract was a competitive acquisition with three responses received, the release said.

The five-year contract to supply lower Michigan USDA-supplied schools has a June 23, 2029, ordering period end date.

USDA’s latest school meal guidance proves fresh fruits and veggies are always in style

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:21:51 GMT

At a recent Conversation on Healthy School Meals Roundtable, the USDA put policy into action. Not only did Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack share several new nutritious school meals initiatives and updates to school meal standards, but he also conveyed a plan for the gradual phase-in of new science-based nutrition standards in schools across the U.S.

The bottom line? These new and updated guidelines and initiatives by the USDA reinforce the nutrition benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables and press for the increased availability of produce offerings in school lunches.

“Our commitment to the school meal programs comes from a common goal we all share — keeping kids healthy and helping them reach their full potential,” Vilsack said in a news release. “Many children aren’t getting the nutrition they need, and diet-related diseases are on the rise. Research shows school meals are the healthiest meals in a day for most kids, proving that they are an important tool for giving kids access to the nutrition they need for a bright future.”

Related news: White House to Host First Hunger, Nutrition and Health Address in More Than 50 Years

According to the USDA, the proposed changes aim to provide children with less added sugar and sodium — which are significantly too high in the American diet — and more of the healthy foods that are underconsumed, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 

These efforts are part of a larger National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health , shared at the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in over 50 years, hosted by President Joe Biden last September.

“We must all step up to support child health if we are to achieve the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases by 2030, in accordance with the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Strengthening school meals is one of the best ways we can achieve that goal,” Vilsack added.

What this means for fresh fruits and vegetables

The new science-based nutrition standards are based on the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , which emphasizes fruits and vegetables.
Added sugar is targeted in updates to nutrition guidance, which will likely bolster demand for foods with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit. Reductions in added sugar in school breakfasts are slated as a part of the multiyear school implementation plan.
A $100 million investment in the Healthy Meals Incentive plan will, according to a USDA statement, “help increase demand from agricultural producers to provide nutritious commodities.”
The proposed rule strengthens incentives to “Buy American” for school meals and supports schools sourcing more locally grown foods.

Report tracks progress of federal school lunch program

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:16:46 GMT

The federal school lunch program is bigger than ever, and a new 43-page USDA report measures the growth of the National School Lunch Program over the past 15 years.

The report from the USDA’s Economic Research Service, “ The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues, 2024 Edition ,” provides an overview of the program and documents major program changes since 2008.

From federal fiscal years 1969 through 2022, the National School Lunch Program served 236 billion lunches, the report said. The number of lunches served peaked in 2010 at about 5.3 billion, declining each year afterward to 4.9 billion in FY 2019.

In constant 2022 dollars, the USDA reported federal spending on the National School Lunch Program increased from $1.3 billion ($64.56 per participating student) in FY 1969 to $10.8 billion ($346.95 per participating student) in FY 2008 and to $14.4 billion ($487.45 per participating student) in FY 2019.

The USDA said research suggests that the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 led to improvements in the nutritional quality of National School Lunch Program lunches without reducing program participation or students’ consumption of school meals. Research also suggests that participation in the program helps improve students’ dietary intake, the report said.

The report said research in 2019 found that plate waste was highest for vegetables (31% wasted) and milk (29% wasted) and lowest for entrees (16% wasted) and meat/meat alternatives (14% wasted). The USDA said the plate waste rates were not markedly different from estimates of plate waste presented in other studies published since the 1970s.

The share of students participating in the program declined from 64.3% of all students enrolled in public schools in FY 2010 to 58.3% in FY 2019, when 29.6 million children participated in the program per day, on average.

The share of lunches served for free or at a reduced price rose from 15.1% in FY 1969 to 60.1% in FY 2008 and to 74.1% in FY 2019. USDA waivers facilitated the free provision of nearly all lunches during the COVID-19 pandemic, the USDA said.

SugarBee Apple sponsors the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Fri, 19 May 2023 13:24:02 GMT

SugarBee Apple will sponsor the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee , a weeklong televised event that celebrates both students and their educators.

Over 200 student finalists from across the nation will take the stage May 28 in the Washington, D.C., area to experience Bee Week and compete for the title of National Spelling Bee Champion. By inspiring the exploration of words, the Scripps National Spelling Bee illuminates pathways to lifelong curiosity, celebrates academic achievement and enriches communities, according to a news release.

SugarBee apple growers are supporting The Bee’s mission to help every child unlock their potential and honoring the commitment of more than 70,000 educators who continue to champion the Scripps National Spelling Bee program, the release said.

“To all of the families and students who work hard each year to compete in local, state, and national competitions, we are proud of your continued drive to excel,” orchardist Cass Gebbers, one of the growers of the SugarBee apple, said in the release.

“We believe in the power of words and the importance of literacy,” Gebbers added. “We are proud to support the Bee’s educators and their devotion to inspiring every child to unlock their potential and strive to reach incredible goals.”

SugarBee Apple will also present the Scripps Educator of the Year award. The honor recognizes teachers who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their students and have made a significant impact on their education and personal development, according to the release. The recipient is chosen based on their outstanding contributions to the field of education and their ability to inspire students to achieve academic excellence.

The 2023 Educator of the Year is Gina Calhoun , an eighth-grade language arts and social studies teacher at Ashe County Middle School in Warrensville, N.C. Calhoun is passionate about going above and beyond to celebrate her students’ success, according to the release.

“We are honored to present the Scripps Educator of the Year award to Mrs. Calhoun,” SugarBee Apple Marketing Director Julie DeJarnatt said in the release. “Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the minds and futures of our children, and we want to recognize and celebrate their exceptional efforts in creating a positive learning environment. SugarBee Apple growers proudly support the Bee’s educators and their devotion to inspiring every child to discover their potential to innovate and create something magical.”

Southeast Produce Council awards 2023 member scholarships to 43 recipients

Fri, 19 May 2023 19:56:56 GMT

The Southeast Produce Council has awarded 43 SEPC Member Scholarships totaling $64,500.

Scholarships are awarded to applicants who meet the application criteria of having a parent or grandparent who is a corporate member in good standing with the SEPC and has personally attended at least one SEPC event within the last 12 months, according to a news release. Applicants, who must be enrolled as a full-time student with a minimum of 12 semester hours, had to submit necessary paperwork, including an essay, to be reviewed by members of the SEPC scholarship committee.

Staying in step with this year’s overarching SEPC them, “Inspiring Innovation Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow,” the essay prompt asked students to discuss where they have experienced food waste in their lives, what are innovative solutions to reduce or prevent food waste, and if they thought even the smallest of ideas can be scaled for a global solution.

SEPC Member Scholarship recipients receive one $1,500 scholarship annually. Past recipients are eligible; however, they must have maintained a 3.0 GPA, and first preference is given to new applicants, according to the release.

The recipients of the 2023 SEPC Member Scholarship are:

Recipient name	Member name	Member company
Kade Adams	Kerry Adams	Rouses Markets
Kayelyn Austin	Garry Bergstrom	Southeast Produce Council
Gary E. Baker	Gary Baker	Merchants Distributors LLC
Colton Barton	Jill Barton	Jim Rash Inc.
Austin Belknap	Blake Belknap	Rainier Fruit Co.
Kennedy Belknap	Blake Belknap	Rainier Fruit Co.
Kordelia Bergstrom	Garry Bergstrom	Southeast Produce Council
Bryan Biederman	Bryan Biederman	Scotlynn Sweet Pac Growers
Ani Brown	Kohl Brown	Harvest Fresh Partners
Sebastian Cimino	Jaime Cimino	Always Fresh Farms
Lillian Davis	Dan Davis	Starr Ranch Growers
Marco Di Laudo	Dino Di Laudo	Topline Farms
Tahlia Dilaudo	Dino Di Laudo	Topline Farms
Conner Edmondson	Tim Edmondson	Edmondson Farms
Joshua Eubanks	Allen Eubanks	Eubanks Produce Inc.
Douglas Ford	Kent Ford	Taylor Farms
Maxwell Fuehrer	Milton Fuehrer	Michigan Fresh Marketing
Michael Fuehrer	Milton Fuehrer	Michigan Fresh Marketing
Ellen Hendrix	Kevin Hendrix	Hendrix Produce
Morgan Jenny	Brian Jenny	B&W Quality Growers
Lindsey Kastensmidt	Matthew Kastensmidt	Tom Lange Inc.
Isabella Lott	Sloan Lott	Bland Farms
Gabrielle Matejowsky	Sarah Matejowsky	Sunkist Growers Inc.
Charlotte Minerva	Michael Minerva	Village Farms
Kaylee Nelsen	Sean Nelsen	Fowler Packing
Alexis Olsen	Melissa Olsen	US Foods
Claire Paivarinta	Harold Paivarinta	Red Sun Farms
Olin Paivarinta	Harold Paivarinta	Red Sun Farms
Matheson Parker	Brandon Parker	Shuman Farms
Haley Pilcher	Alison Pilcher	Coastline Family Farms
Lowri Richards	Gini Richards	Monterey Mushrooms
Peyton Rudman	Shawn Rudman	Gulfstream Produce
Steven Shaw	Tracy Shaw	Healthy Family Project
Hudson Sherrod	David Sherrod	Southeast Produce Council
Mason Shuman	Mark Shuman	Shuman Farms
Brittany St. George	Kimberly St. George	Dole Food Co.
Riley St. George	Kimberly St. George	Dole Food Co.
Sophia Tanner	Matthew Tanner	Pacific Trellis Fruit
Kasey Tipton	Mike Tipton	Schnucks
Charles White	Johnny White	Shuman Farms
Avery White	Johnny White	Shuman Farms
Madison Wing	Rick Estess	RPE
Kylie Wynne	Jadey Wynne	US Foods

How the FARMS program helps cultivate California ag’s next generation

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 15:03:24 GMT

It’s been three decades since a Winters, Calif., walnut farmer planted a seed that continues to bear fruit for the state’s agriculture workforce.

The farmer, Craig McNamara, wanted to city kids to visit his Yolo County farm to learn more about where their food originates, which led him to help found the FARMS Leadership Program, according to a news release. That initiative has since evolved into much more.

The FARMS (Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability) program has served diverse communities throughout California, introducing careers in ag and environmental sciences to tens of thousands of high school youth, most with no previous access to these opportunities, the release said. It is a key part of the Center for Land-Based Learning’s programming, according to a news release.

The program — which has a motto of inspire, educate, cultivate” — is designed to introduce, train and recruit about 200 high school students from major farming regions in the Central Valley, Northern California and the Central Coast each school year for college and career opportunities, says Leticia Hernandez, the program’s alumni and internship manager.

“Today, we focus on supporting the industry by teaching FARMS students professional development skills,” Hernandez said in the release. “We provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice their leadership skills while in the program. Students practice speaking publicly and working with new people almost every field day. We hold mock interviews and encourage and teach them how to be better professionals while introducing them to career possibilities.”

Career paths for participants include core positions such as harvesting and packing, as well as human resources, marketing, research and development, gene editing and breeding.

Students gain hands-on farm experience through monthly field days, a key element of the basic FARMS program.

“Each session involves about five students per school along with their teacher. By bringing smaller groups, it allows students to participate in networking, working with all kinds of people, team building and leadership activities,” Hernandez said. “But the most important part of the field day is to get them working with people on their jobs, learning about crops along the way.”

Adding onto the program

The FARMS Leadership Program is Tier 1 of the experience, in which students engage in career exploration. Two more levels were added in the past decade.

FARMS Advanced, a second-year option added in 2015, provides no more than 40 first-year students with the opportunity to sharpen and develop their workforce skills through an additional six field days.

The students work with regional program coordinators in one-on-one mentorships and on small-group field days in smaller spaces such as research labs and at companies that don’t have facilities for larger groups. During visits, participants can talk with employees about their careers and participate in mock interviews with human resources staff to prepare them for possible internships and the workforce, according to the release.

The FARMS program added a top-level tier in 2017. By providing internships in the agricultural or conservation workplace, the program offers a practical application of educational studies, the release said. This opportunity is available to those who complete the FARMS Advanced program and are interested in pursuing a career in agriculture or environmental sciences.

“Last year we started with five or so, and we had five more this year. My job is to find placements and do matchmaking,” Hernandez said.

She noted the example of a student who graduated from Cal Poly this year, was placed in an internship last summer and is starting a job as a junior ranch manager this summer.

Hernandez said the program also encourages participants to give back with a community action project. That can include environmental or agricultural projects or activities such as working in a soup kitchen, park cleanups and training elementary school students about how to care for animals.

“It’s become a beautiful program that is inspiring for students and everyone watching them grow,” she said.

Program support from Farm Credit

Farm Credit associations AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit are supporters of the FARMS program and the Center for Land-Based Learning. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture, according to the release.

Promoting and preparing for the future of California agriculture is a top priority for Farm Credit associations operating throughout California, Keith Hesterberg, president and CEO for Fresno Madera Farm Credit, said in the release.

“Nurturing the next generation of farmers and ranchers is vitally important to ensure California’s agricultural industry continues feeding the nation and the world, and CLBL does a tremendous job encouraging high school students to adults to consider careers in agriculture,” he said. “Farm Credit is proud to be a strategic partner for CLBL and we look forward to continuing to work with them for many years to come.”

Hesterberg added that Farm Credit associations collaborate annually to prioritize giving to nonprofits active in California that encourage young people to consider careers in the field.

Farm Credit also backs programs to increase diversity in the industry, Kevin Ralph, California state president for AgWest Farm Credit, said in the release.

“Farm Credit is committed to encouraging diversity and inclusion in the industry, and it’s encouraging that 78% of the students in the FARMS Leadership Program are black, indigenous and people of color,” Ralph said. “Encouraging young people from all backgrounds to consider the full range of career opportunities bodes well for the future of farming here in the Golden State.”

School nutrition group calls for increased federal support

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:59:58 GMT

A new School Nutrition Association survey report says economic, procurement and regulatory issues are obstacles facing school meal administrators as pandemic-era assistance comes to an end.

With additional regulations for school meal programs being finalized by the USDA, SNA’s “2024 Position Paper” urges Congress to increase funding, preserve successful current nutrition standards and provide every student equal access to healthy school meals, according to a news release.

“Research shows students eat their healthiest meals at school, and school nutrition programs need Congress’ support to sustain that achievement,” School Nutrition Association President Chris Derico said in the release. “Inadequate funds and overly restrictive rules will soon cripple school meal programs.”

Federal reimbursements must account for the “uniquely high cost” of operating K-12 programs, Derico said. School meal planners must procure more expensive low-sodium and whole grain foods to meet strict nutrition standards, according to the release.

“Meanwhile, we believe all students deserve equal access to nutritious meals at school, and in schools that must charge for meals, we see inequities for children as well as unpaid meal debt increasing financial losses,” Derico said.

SNA’s “2024 School Nutrition Trends Report” details survey responses from 1,343 school meal program directors across the country, according to the release.

Virtually all respondents (99.3%) reported challenges with increasing costs, and 83.9% indicated costs are a significant challenge, the release said. Just 17% of respondents indicated the current reimbursement rate is sufficient to cover the cost of producing a lunch.

When asked about the financial sustainability of their programs in just three years, 91.6% of directors flagged concerns.

Insufficient reimbursements also limit schools’ capacity to offer competitive wages in a tight labor market and sufficiently staff kitchens to increase scratch cooking, according to the release. Staff shortages were the second most prevalent challenge, reported by 90.5% of respondents.

The survey also revealed persistent procurement problems in the K-12 market. These findings are particularly worrying given proposed federal nutrition standards , the release said, adding that USDA is scheduled to release final, more restrictive long-term rules for school meals in April 2024.

With a lack of any nutrition mandates for dining or retail foods, limited demand for low-sodium and whole grain products in the retail market leaves many manufacturers and distributors hesitant to prepare and stock specialty items for K-12 customers, SNA said in the release.

Although the severity of disruptions has eased slightly since SNA’s 2023 survey, large majorities of respondents continued to cite a variety of procurement issues, including menu item shortages (87.2%) and menu items discontinued (80%).

Respondents reported a variety of menu improvements, such as adding choices (64.6%), increasing locally grown foods (55.6%) and conducting student taste tests (66.0%) to boost student acceptance of healthy options.

In March, school nutrition professionals from across the country will meet with members of Congress to discuss SNA’s “2024 Position Paper” as part of the 52nd annual Legislative Action Conference , the release said.

Village Farms Fresh touts sustainable production with classroom tours

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 17:07:43 GMT

Village Farms Fresh says it opened its doors to students in the Big Bend region of Texas for greenhouse tours over the past six months.

With support from the Big Bend Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural and natural heritage of our region, Village Farms Fresh has offered enriching educational experiences to young learners. This collaboration has extended its reach across five schools: Presidio Elementary, Marfa Middle School, Fort Davis Elementary, Terlingua Elementary, and Alpine Elementary, according to a news release.

Village Farms Fresh says it integrated the greenhouse tours into classroom curriculum focused on sustainable agriculture. Students learned about hydroponic growing systems and Flex Farms to cultivate lettuce.

“Seeing the children’s faces light up when they saw the size and productivity of our greenhouses, our bumblebee pollination and our staff doing the hard work of tending the crop was a joy,” Abigail Lange, Village Farms Fresh facility manager for Marfa, said in the release. “BBCA and Village Farms are forming lifelong connections for these students as they see the principles they’re learning in the classroom reflected on an industrial scale in the business world. We’re proud to be a part of this unique program.”

Since the first visit with fourth grade and fifth grade students from Fort Davis Elementary in December 2023, Village Farms has welcomed 125 students from grades 3-8 across Fort Davis, Marfa, Alpine, and Presidio school communities over the past six months.

“Village Farms Fresh has a long history in its dedication to interacting and working with our local community whenever the opportunity presents itself,” said Derin Gemmel, vice president of human resources for the company. “We were very excited to work with our local youth and school districts when the BBCA reached out to us with this valuable initiative.”

Village Farms Fresh says the mission of BBCA is to enhance food accessibility and educate students about sustainable farming methods. The company says it highlights greenhouse production innovations to empower the students to become stewards of our environment and advocates for sustainable living.

“Visiting the Village Farms Fresh Greenhouse has helped students connect what they’re doing in the classroom to the world around them,” said Elvira Hermosillo, program manager for BBCA. “The Flex Farm teaches students innovative technologies while inspiring them to grow their own food.”

NatureSweet creates fruit and vegetable gardens for schools in Mexico

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 15:00:12 GMT

San Antonio-based NatureSweet has partnered with the nonprofit Fundación Educa México A.C. to help create herb, fruit and vegetable gardens at schools near six NatureSweet facilities throughout Mexico.

The program is called Escuelas Por La Tierra , and gardens have been established at schools that are near NatureSweet facilities in San Isidro, Zapotlán, Nayarit, Tuxcacuesco, Colima and the company’s Guadalajara office, according to a news release.

“What a great opportunity for our communities to learn more about agriculture and how each of us can play a role in sustainable development,” Fernanda Suarez, sustainability and social impact director at NatureSweet, said in the release. “It was a joy watching the children’s faces light up as they helped plant and water the seedlings.”

Seeds that attract pollinators and germinate quickly have already been planted, such as amaranth, radish, lettuce, carrot, beets, cilantro, celery, pumpkin, green tomato, pea, purslane, chard and parsley, the release said.

NatureSweet has provided the financial support to sustain the program, which is divided into stages, according to the release.

Volunteers and staff from both NatureSweet and Fundación Educa México helped kick off the program by creating the gardens. During the next phase, teachers and students will learn how to care for the fruits and vegetables and maintain the gardens, the release said.

The Escuelas Por La Tierra program is one of the many initiatives NatureSweet is committed to regarding the company’s sustainability and social responsibility efforts, the company said.

Fresh produce nonprofit expands to serve more Arizona schools

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:23:27 GMT

Brighter Bites, a nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly to families, has opened a new location in Phoenix, which is also its 11th Arizona.

Brighter Bites will serve six schools within Cartwright School District and Alhambra Unified School District, which will directly affect almost 900 families and provide approximately 288,000 pounds of fresh produce to its participants, according to a news release.

“We sincerely appreciate Brighter Bites for their efforts in delivering age-appropriate nutrition lessons to our students which is helping them grasp the significance of maintaining healthy eating habits,” Diane Corley, Tomahawk Elementary School principal, said in the release. “We are grateful for this partnership that supports healthier choices for our youth.”

Key partners who have made the Phoenix location possible include founding partners, MJI Family Investments LLC, JV Smith, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Burton Family Foundation and the locally based St. Mary’s Food Bank, the release said.

Related news: Brighter Bites, Zespri Kiwifruit extend partnership

“St. Mary’s is excited to partner with Brighter Bites towards achieving the common goal of increasing access of nutritional food for school-age children to create healthy habits that turn into healthy lifestyles,” Laura Brill, St. Mary’s Food Bank director of culinary and nutrition programs, said in the release.

The first distribution in Phoenix began Oct. 16 and will continue each week through the end of May, according to the release. Brighter Bites says it plans to further expand its reach into more schools within the Cartwright and Alhambra school districts in the 2024-25 school year.

Sunkist Growers highlights fresh citrus benefits with high school All-Stars

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 14:37:56 GMT

Sunkist Growers is putting a spotlight on fresh citrus in sponsoring the inaugural Encore All-Star Games, featuring elite high school basketball talent.

The April 8 event will showcase senior basketball players from the greater Los Angeles region taking the court at St. John Bosco High School. Jerica Williams and D.J. Gay, girls and boys basketball program leads at Windward School, are also the organizers of the Encore All-Star Games.

“Growing up playing basketball in Los Angeles, there was nothing better than playing and watching the best compete against the best. These All-Star games provide a stage for the entire LA region to come together one final time,” Gay, a former All-City guard and San Diego State University Hall of Famer, said in a news release.

Representing the greater Los Angeles region, touted as a national hotbed for basketball talent, the 48 seniors — 24 girls and 24 boys — will compete with and against each other one final time in front of a local crowd. The All-Star games will be accompanied by dunk, 3-point and skills contests, according to the release.

“We’re excited to support the Encore All-Star Games, which is right here in our hometown,” Christina Ward, senior director of global marketing for Sunkist Growers , said in the release. “Thanks to our collaboration with sports nutritionists, we are able to deliver fun health hacks for hoopers and showcase the health benefits of Sunkist citrus to our next generation of athletes and all-stars. Sunkist is California grown and has been for 130 years. As a farmer-owned citrus cooperative, community is at the core of what we do.”

In a recent Sunkist blog, “ Health Hacks for Hoopers ,” sports nutritionist Kat Barefield lists five health hacks using in-season Sunkist citrus varieties:

To help fuel on the go.
To recover after a workout.
To support your immune system.
To add collagen to your routine.
To satisfy your sweet tooth.

In addition to the games and contests, there will be activities for kids, giveaways, entertainment by DJ Lico and fun for the entire family, according to the release. Special guests include “King of NBA Twitter” Josiah Johnson , pro dunker Chris Staples , emcee and influencer Brandon “B dot” Armstrong and a dance group featuring Ferly Prado , among others.

“As former players and now as head coaches in the Los Angeles region, it is an honor to partner with Sunkist Growers and provide a stage that will be memorable for the players, the community and something younger players will look forward to in years to come,” Williams, a former player at UCLA and SDSU, said in the release.

Updates can be found on social media @EncoreAllStarGames on Instagram and EncoreAllStar on Twitter.

Promotion helps K-12 foodservice operators earn loyalty program bonus points

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:22:48 GMT

Fresh Alliance, the procurement arm of the Buyers Edge Platform Fresh Division, has launched a K-12 foodservice promotion with Cool School Cafe, called Cool School Fresh.

When operator-members of the Cool School Cafe foodservice loyalty program participate in the Cool School Fresh promotion by purchasing through Fresh Alliance procurement services, they gain access to 100-plus premium growers and can earn Cool School Bonus Points on every order, according to a news release. The points can be redeemed for items that can be used to enhance child nutrition meal programs, and for a limited time, first-time purchasers also will receive a 10,000-point bonus offer, the release said.

“For the past 30 years, Cool School Cafe has upheld our mission to support K-12 child nutrition programs through relevant and collaborative solutions,” Cool School Cafe Director Katye Geistfeld said in the release. “Cool School Fresh and our new collaboration with Fresh Alliance (the Produce Alliance and Fresh Concepts Procurement Team) is a way to support our operator members by providing fresh food solutions with the added value of even more of the Cool School Points they know and love to enhance their meal programs.”

Healthy Solutions 4 Kids is an educational marketing entity of Fresh Alliance aimed at supporting child nutrition meal programs. Some of the marketing materials available include an immersive classroom activity developed around a variety of produce items, a monthly menu featuring “Funky Fruit & Vegetable” offerings, nutritional information and take-home recipe resources, according to the release.

“Healthy Solutions 4 Kids’ mission is to not only help school districts better utilize the funding they have available to them, but to encourage kids to try new foods and establish healthy eating habits early on,” Logan Nicely, director of Healthy Solutions, said in the release. “When we invest in our youth at a young age, we teach them to lead a healthier, balanced, and more nutrition-based lifestyle. We want kids to get excited about produce by showing them how their food is grown and why it’s good for them, all through immersive activities and things they can try at home.”

Fresh Alliance says it leverages high-performance contracts supported by a variety of clients, such as foodservice, government and retail, ensuring order accuracy, contract compliance and providing solutions in markets that are in short supply. It provides produce management, logistics and K-12 services.

For more information about Cool School Fresh, contact Nicely at 404-538-7483.

U.S. Apple Association awards $25K in Apples4Ed grants

Thu, 30 May 2024 17:17:13 GMT

The U.S. Apple Association has awarded its Apples4Ed grants to five schools for the 2023-24 school year. Each $5,000 grant will support initiatives that teach children about healthy eating habits and expose them to a wider variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, according to a news release.

More than 50 schools applied to Apples4Ed this year, the association said. A panel of judges selected winners based on level of creativity, longevity, student impact, logistics and community involvement.

The five winning schools are:

Coral Reef Senior High School, Miami.
Hoover Elementary, Yakima, Wash.
Pine Haven Elementary, Jamestown, Tenn.
Throop Elementary, Paoli, Ind.
Trailridge Elementary, Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Hoover Elementary, Throop Elementary, and Trailridge Elementary will create or improve upon existing school gardens, incorporating both hydroponics inside as well as gardens outside, according to the release.

Pine Haven Elementary will use the grant to improve the nutrition curriculum in its after-school Extended Learning Program. The school will incorporate fresh produce into its curriculum each week to show students how to create tasty dishes while making it fun, the association said.

Coral Reef Senior High School, which already has a fresh produce program, will use the grant to fund stainless steel preparation tables, a three-shelf trolley cart and a refrigerated salad station to help distribute campus-grown produce to students.

“Apples4Ed initiatives promote fresh produce in a context that resonates with students and has a long-term impact on healthy habits,” Lynsee Gibbons, director of communications for USApple, said in the release. “We’re proud to support schools in their creative efforts to expose students to fruits and vegetables in fun, engaging, and enjoyable ways.”

USApple says its 2023 NextGen Fellows raised an additional $5,000 through an online raffle, which helped Apples4Ed include a fifth school in its recipients.

Back-to-school campaign seeks to help busy families eat better

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:59:09 GMT

Healthy Family Project has launched its 10th annual back-to-school campaign, offering produce-centric meal ideas and practical tips for busy households to simplify nutritious eating for families.

The omnichannel campaign will exclusively fill Healthy Family Project’s social media , email newsletter and website content from Aug. 5 through Sept.15, according to a news release.

Campaign highlights include partner brands prominently featured in content, including an Instagram Live and Instagram Reels created by Healthy Family Project’s dietitians . The strategic use of social media not only highlights the brands, but also provides valuable information and inspiration to families looking to incorporate more fresh produce into their lives, according to the organization.

Curated content will also be shared in weekly e-newsletters distributed to Healthy Family Project’s consumer and nutrition professional audiences.

Since 2014, the campaign has aided many families heading back to school and has donated more than $208,000 to charities that impact families and increase produce consumption in schools, the release said.

The campaign also collaborates with brands that share a dedication to increasing produce consumption among the next generation. These partners include Bee Sweet Citrus, Consalo Family Farms, Shuman Farms RealSweet Onions, Jazz apples, Nature Fresh Farms, and Yo Quiero Brands.

“Aligned with the theme, Healthy Family Project’s 2024 Back-to-School partners are making a $12,000 donation to the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foundation for Fresh Produce,” said Healthy Family Project Vice President Trish James. “This contribution is aimed at increasing produce consumption in schools, underscoring the industry’s commitment to fostering healthier eating habits among children.”

Healthy Family Project says its annual back-to-school campaign is part of its commitment to promoting health and wellness for families. The organization has donated more than $8 million to such charities since 2002, through grocery retail and digital cause marketing campaigns, according to the release.

Tops in Education school rewards program returns

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:34:19 GMT

Tops Friendly Markets says it has kicked off the 13th season of its Tops in Education program, which allows participants to earn up to 5% in rewards for their school throughout the entire school year (Sept. 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025).

Since the program’s inception in 2012, Tops has donated more than $1.9 million to over 1,000 participating schools, according to a a news release.

To participate:

Visit topsmarkets.com/education to register a Tops BonusPlus card for the program.
Select up to three K-12 schools from a list of those that have registered to be the benefactor of Tops shopping.
Shop and save for the school.

“Every time you shop your designated school(s) will earn rewards when you purchase participating products including Tops Brand, Full Circle, TopCare, Tippy Toes, Simply Done, Crav’n, Paws Happy Life, Pure Harmony, Wide Awake, That’s Smart and Best Yet with your registered Tops BonusPlus Card. It’s that easy to earn up to 5% back to your selected school(s),” the company said in the release.

“As the school year kicks off, Tops is committed to equipping our local schools with the resources they need to thrive,” said Kathleen Allen, senior manager of community relations for Tops Markets. “From supporting school field trips and dances to providing extra classroom supplies and youth sports funding, we’ve seen firsthand how the TIE program has benefited these schools.”