Cornell
Farm to School Program Resources
NY
Farm to School News is a four-page
quarterly newsletter that highlights the wide variety of farm
to school activities occurring throughout the state. It originated
as a publication for the Broome-Tioga Farm to School Workgroup,
whose members include food service directors, farmers, and
representatives of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome,
Tioga, and Cortland Counties.
NY
Food of the Month is a series of nine one-page
fliers, each focused on a particular food that is grown in
New York. School food service directors can feature the food
of the month, in different forms (canned and/or frozen as
well as fresh) and alone or in mixed dishes, on lunch menus
during that month. The fliers can be copied to share with
families and staff at the school. Some directors have used
the fliers as "menu backs;" other directors have
posted them on school websites.
Featuring NY
Produce is a collection
of colorful and informative signs for a growing list of commonly
served NY produce (beets, cabbage, chard, corn, onions, peppers,
potatoes, summer & winter squash, and tomatoes). Each
sign has a photograph of the featured vegetable/fruit along
with fun and informative facts and nutrition information.
These 11x17 signs can be downloaded and printed for use in
dining halls, cafeterias, kiosk stations, or anywhere NY grown
produce is served. They are a great way to raise awareness
about NY agriculture and local eating!
New York Farm to School Fact Sheet
includes basic information about Farm to School
in New York. A policy primer, rational and research are included
on this two page handout.
Cornell
Conference Proceedings
The first regional
farm-to-school conference, From Farm to School Cafeteria:
Partnerships for Supporting Farms, Improving Health, and Building
Community, December 9-10, 2001 in Ithaca, NY addressed a range
of issues relevant to making tangible and sustainable farm
to school links. The conference proceedings (186 pages) encapsulate
two full days of plenary, and breakout sessions, and serve
as a guide to networking, organizing, and planning farm-to-school
connections in your area. You may use these links for the
conference program
brochure, and a printable order
form.
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Research
Farm to School in New York
State: A Survey of K-12 Food Service Directors
Under the auspices of the New York State
Farm to School Coordinating Committee, the Cornell Farm to
School Program took leadership for conducting a survey of
over 1,100 food service directors from K-12 public, charter
and private schools in New York. Survey collaborators included
the New York State Department of Education, Department of
Agriculture and Markets, and the Office of General Services
Division of Food Distribution& Warehousing, as well as
the New York State School Food Service Association. The survey
was intended to explore ways to strengthen connections among
farmers and school cafeterias in New York State. It assessed
current farm to school connections as well as the potential
for making new connections.
The purpose of this study is to examine
the existing connection between farmers and K-12 school cafeterias
in New York State. The goal is to ultimately enhance the quality
of school meals and to improve markets for New York farmers,
the facilities surveyed included K-12 public, private, and
charter school cafeteria’s in New York State.
Data from the 373 who took the survey,
conducted with input from the NY Farm to School Coordinating
Committee, reveals significant involvement and an even greater
potential for the use of NY agricultural products in schools.
Nearly one-quarter of the food service directors (FSDs) reported
purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables directly from a farmer
and 72% reported purchasing local (NY) foods either directly
from a farmer or from a vendor. Apples, potatoes and lettuce
were among the most frequently named “top five whole
fresh fruits and vegetables purchases”– all NY
crops. The majority of FSDs purchased several fruits and vegetables
fresh during the weeks they are available from NY farms and
less than 5% of those who had not yet purchased local food
were not interested in doing so in the future. Nearly 88%
of FSDs felt that schools support the local economy and community
by purchasing local foods. Over half felt local purchases
would benefit students by increasing their access to fresh
fruits & vegetables, and improving their diets. Over half
indicated that if more local products were available partially
processed they would be more likely to purchase them. The
concerns most frequently cited were reliability of supply,
delivery, and cost. The following would help FSDs to purchase
local foods: •NY food availability information •a
list of farmers willing to sell to schools •health and
safety information and regulatory guidelines •school-tested
recipes and menus • promotional materials• an
indication of source on vendor order forms. And guess what,
1/3 reported participating in NYH for NYK Week.
Survey
Findings Report (Coming Soon!)
Buying Local Foods: A Survey
of College and University Dining Directors
by Andrea Azuma
While purchasing food from local sources may have been commonplace
before the era of large and expansive food distribution and
transportation systems and globalized markets, food service
directors today commonly work through large distributors for
food purchasing and have little knowledge of where their food
actually comes from and who grows it. However some colleges
and universities are placing more value on where their food
originates and using it as a factor in food purchasing. Farm
to college programs involve college/university dining programs
purchasing local foods, either directly or through a supplier.
Farm to college programs also tie into discussions about the
engagement of colleges/universities in the places in which
they reside.
As interest in farm to college programs grows in New York
State, baseline research is needed to identify current purchasing
practices as well as perceived opportunities and barriers
among food service personnel who ultimately make purchasing
decisions.
This research addressed this dearth
of information and asked the following questions:
- What current activity and level
of interest exists among NYS food service directors in connecting
farms with institutional food service?
- What farm products could be integrated
into NYS colleges and universities, based upon current purchasing
practices?
- What factors influence purchasing
decisions made in college and university food service?
Research
Briefing
Survey
*This research was conducted by Andrea Azuma,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's
degree in community nutrition.
Azuma, Andrea Misako. (2003) Farm to college in New York
State : a survey of college and university dining directors'
attitudes, current practices, and the potential for local
food purchases.
The full thesis is shelved at Mann
Library and Kroch
Library Rare & Manuscripts, Cornell
University.
Purchasing New York Farm
Foods for School Meals: A Report to the NYS Department of
Agriculture and Markets on Regional Farm-to-School Meetings
In early 2003, the NYS Department of
Agriculture & Markets contracted with NY Farms! to organize
regional Farm-to-School meetings across New York State. The
purpose of these meetings was to identify how to increase
purchases of NY-grown farm products for school meal programs.
Buyers (food service and distributors) and suppliers (distributors
and farmers) were invited, as well as ag commodity organizations
and Extension. The NYS School Food Service Association provided
contact information for Food Service Directors in the targeted
regions. Those FSDs who responded to the initial meeting announcement
were asked to identify their produce suppliers (distributors
and farmers) and invite them. NY Farms! contacted those suppliers,
as well as other distributors, grower associations, co-ops,
fruit and vegetable farmers. Pride of New York, NYS Vegetable
Growers Association, NY Apple Association, and other trade
directories were used.
The discussion focused on fresh and minimally-processed
fruits and vegetables, as schools are particularly interested
in increasing healthy and tasty food items on their menus.
Topics included: what specific fruits and vegetables are currently
offered and preferred by children; requirements for grading,
processing and packaging; what communication is needed between
farmers and distributors, between distributors and food service
buyers, and the timing of that communication re: availability.
During May and June, five regional meetings
were held in school cafeterias of Depew (Buffalo area), Geneva
(Rochester & Finger Lakes), Cohoes (Capitol District),
Huntington Station (Long Island), and Jamesville-Dewitt (Central
NY). A sixth meeting took place with the New York City Department
of Education Office of School Food and Nutrition Services,
the second largest institutional buyer in the nation.
Executive
Summary
Report
Suggestions
to Increase Purchases of NY-grown Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
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