Farm to SchoolFarm to School

by,by,Fawn MillerFawn Miller

Objectives: Objectives:

To provide information about how farm to school To provide information about how farm to school programs are impacting educationprograms are impacting educationTo provide educators with information about how To provide educators with information about how to to start farm to school programs in their own districtstart farm to school programs in their own districtTo help educators foresee potential obstacles and To help educators foresee potential obstacles and resistance to programsresistance to programs

Ecological Literacy: Ecological Literacy: Rethinking School LunchRethinking School Lunch

Objectives:Objectives:

Establish healthy eating Establish healthy eating habits at an early agehabits at an early age

Buying local, fresh foodBuying local, fresh food

Building an understanding Building an understanding of food preparation and of food preparation and food productionfood production

Integrate nutrition Integrate nutrition education into all subjectseducation into all subjects

Marilyn Briggs

Ecological Education in Action: Ecological Education in Action: Stories from Our Common RootsStories from Our Common Roots

Objectives:Objectives:

Reduce childhood hunger Reduce childhood hunger

Develop and teach sustainable Develop and teach sustainable agricultureagriculture

Connect curriculum between subjectsConnect curriculum between subjects

Build healthier communitiesBuild healthier communities

What are the objectives What are the objectives of Farm to School of Farm to School programs?programs?

Support small family Support small family farmsfarms

Promote healthier food Promote healthier food options in schooloptions in school

Educate students Educate students about food production about food production and preparation and preparation

Why the Need for Farm to Why the Need for Farm to School ProgramsSchool Programs

Childhood obesity between 2000-2004 rose from Childhood obesity between 2000-2004 rose from 13.8% to 16.0%13.8% to 16.0%

Increase in type two diabetes among children, a Increase in type two diabetes among children, a disease that was once considered only an adult disease that was once considered only an adult diseasedisease

2002 U.S. Census of Agriculture reporting a 4% 2002 U.S. Census of Agriculture reporting a 4% decrease in small to medium sized family farmsdecrease in small to medium sized family farms

Loss of over 300,000 farms since 1979Loss of over 300,000 farms since 1979 Research shows that students who are well Research shows that students who are well

nourished and active are more likely to attend nourished and active are more likely to attend and succeed at schooland succeed at school

Reconnect students with the communities in Reconnect students with the communities in which they livewhich they live

What is causing What is causing childhood obesity?childhood obesity?

High fat, fast food optionsHigh fat, fast food options Accessibility to fast food restaurants Accessibility to fast food restaurants Minimum nutritional value snacks Minimum nutritional value snacks School lunchSchool lunch

Sometimes school lunch choices are based more Sometimes school lunch choices are based more heavily on the surplus of crops available oppose to heavily on the surplus of crops available oppose to student nutritionstudent nutrition

Lack of choices of fruits and vegetablesLack of choices of fruits and vegetables Sedentary lifestyleSedentary lifestyle

TV, video games, internetTV, video games, internet Fewer outdoor areasFewer outdoor areas Parental fears about children playing outsideParental fears about children playing outside

Lack of thorough nutrition educationLack of thorough nutrition education

Do farm to school Do farm to school programs work?programs work?

8/8 schools studied found that a farm to 8/8 schools studied found that a farm to school salad bar reduced the daily school salad bar reduced the daily amount of calories, cholesterol, and fat amount of calories, cholesterol, and fat students consumedstudents consumed

Consistently found students consumed Consistently found students consumed more fruits and vegetables per daymore fruits and vegetables per day

5/11 schools studied showed increases in 5/11 schools studied showed increases in participation in school lunches ranging participation in school lunches ranging from 1.3% to 16.0%, the others showed from 1.3% to 16.0%, the others showed no significant changeno significant change

Do farm to school Do farm to school programs work cont?programs work cont?

Students in experimental groups were more likely Students in experimental groups were more likely to choose healthier options in real world to choose healthier options in real world situations, like in the supermarketsituations, like in the supermarket

88% of students in experimental groups, 88% of students in experimental groups, compared to 72% of students in control groups, compared to 72% of students in control groups, were able to identify foods with high sugar were able to identify foods with high sugar contentcontent

After students participated in field trips to local After students participated in field trips to local farms and participated in activities sequencing farms and participated in activities sequencing food production, the number of students who food production, the number of students who properly sequenced the order of food production properly sequenced the order of food production improved from 12% to 52% from the pretest to improved from 12% to 52% from the pretest to post testpost test

Pennsylvania Standards Pennsylvania Standards Addressed by Farm to School Addressed by Farm to School Programs (Environmental)Programs (Environmental)

PA.ENV.4.4.4.B.1 Identify common animals found on PA.ENV.4.4.4.B.1 Identify common animals found on Pennsylvania farmsPennsylvania farms

PA.ENV.4.4.4.B.2 Identify common plants found on PA.ENV.4.4.4.B.2 Identify common plants found on Pennsylvania farmsPennsylvania farms

PA.ENV.4.4.4.D.1 Identify the various tools and machinery PA.ENV.4.4.4.D.1 Identify the various tools and machinery necessary for farmingnecessary for farming

PA.ENV.4.4.10.B Assess the influence of agricultural science on PA.ENV.4.4.10.B Assess the influence of agricultural science on farming practicesfarming practices

PA.ENV.4.4.10.B.1 Compare the practices of no-till farming to PA.ENV.4.4.10.B.1 Compare the practices of no-till farming to traditional soil preparation (e.g., plow, disc)traditional soil preparation (e.g., plow, disc)

PA.ENV.4.4.10.B.3 Analyze and explain how farm efficiencies PA.ENV.4.4.10.B.3 Analyze and explain how farm efficiencies have changed human nutritionhave changed human nutrition

Pennsylvania Standards Pennsylvania Standards Addressed by Farm to School Addressed by Farm to School Programs (Family and Programs (Family and Consumer Science)Consumer Science) PA.FACS.11.3.12.C Evaluate sources of food and PA.FACS.11.3.12.C Evaluate sources of food and

nutrition informationnutrition information

PA.FACS.11.3.12.D Critique diet modifications PA.FACS.11.3.12.D Critique diet modifications for their ability to improve nutritionally-related for their ability to improve nutritionally-related health conditions (e.g., diabetes, lactose-health conditions (e.g., diabetes, lactose-intolerance, iron deficiency)intolerance, iron deficiency)

PA.FACS.11.3.12.F Evaluate the application of PA.FACS.11.3.12.F Evaluate the application of nutrition and meal planning principles in the nutrition and meal planning principles in the selection, planning, preparation and serving of selection, planning, preparation and serving of meals that meet the specific nutritional needs of meals that meet the specific nutritional needs of individuals across their lifespanindividuals across their lifespan

How to purchase locally How to purchase locally grown productsgrown products

Buy directly from local farmersBuy directly from local farmers AdvantagesAdvantages

No middle manNo middle man Can request specific itemsCan request specific items

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Must with work with multiple farmersMust with work with multiple farmers Paperwork can be overwhelming and time consuming Paperwork can be overwhelming and time consuming

for food service stafffor food service staff Buy from a farmer cooperativeBuy from a farmer cooperative

AdvantagesAdvantages Reduces ordering time and paperwork for food service Reduces ordering time and paperwork for food service

staffstaff Can often provide a wider variety of produce on a more Can often provide a wider variety of produce on a more

consistent basisconsistent basis DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Coops do not exist everywhereCoops do not exist everywhere Reduces the amount of interaction with the farmerReduces the amount of interaction with the farmer

How to purchase locally How to purchase locally grown products cont.grown products cont.

Buy from a farmer’s marketBuy from a farmer’s market AdvantagesAdvantages

The freshest produceThe freshest produce Interaction/Communication with farmersInteraction/Communication with farmers

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Does not work well outside of the growing seasonDoes not work well outside of the growing season Labor intensiveLabor intensive

Buy from a traditional distributorBuy from a traditional distributor AdvantagesAdvantages

Billing and ordering to one vendorBilling and ordering to one vendor Distributors can provide additional items, paper goods, Distributors can provide additional items, paper goods,

cleaning supplies, etc.cleaning supplies, etc. DisadvantagesDisadvantages

No interaction with the farmersNo interaction with the farmers Difficult to know if the vendor is always searching for Difficult to know if the vendor is always searching for

locally grown foodlocally grown food

Financial ObstaclesFinancial Obstacles

Cost is often the most difficult obstacle Cost is often the most difficult obstacle for school districts to overcomefor school districts to overcome

Schools districts are often required to put Schools districts are often required to put out bids for food service and except the out bids for food service and except the lowest bidlowest bid

Solutions (Think Small, Be Creative)Solutions (Think Small, Be Creative) One day a week organic or local salad barOne day a week organic or local salad bar Use locally grown produce for home economics Use locally grown produce for home economics

classesclasses Encourage students to plant a community garden Encourage students to plant a community garden

for a graduation projectfor a graduation project Fundraising with local produceFundraising with local produce Cutting out desserts and other snack foodsCutting out desserts and other snack foods

Sources of FundingSources of Funding

Advocacy groupsAdvocacy groups

State and local governmentState and local government

UniversitiesUniversities

Grants for the U.S. Department of Grants for the U.S. Department of AgricultureAgriculture

Philosophical DifferencesPhilosophical Differences

Adversity to “Liberally Minded” programsAdversity to “Liberally Minded” programs Test centric curriculumTest centric curriculum The wrong objectivesThe wrong objectives What are the basics?What are the basics? Resistance to change traditional Resistance to change traditional

instructioninstruction Compartmentalizing curriculumCompartmentalizing curriculum Teaching abstract curriculumTeaching abstract curriculum

Farm to Cafeteria Projects Farm to Cafeteria Projects Act of 2003Act of 2003

Introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont Introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvaniaand Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania

Provide grants up to $100,000 for schools and Provide grants up to $100,000 for schools and nonprofits to buy local food, equipment for nonprofits to buy local food, equipment for storage and preparation, and training for food storage and preparation, and training for food service staffservice staff

Helps to reduce childhood obesity, by providing Helps to reduce childhood obesity, by providing healthier food options and nutrition educationhealthier food options and nutrition education

No Child Left Inside ActNo Child Left Inside Act

Increase environmental literacyIncrease environmental literacy Reduce childhood obesityReduce childhood obesity Reduce the risk of nature deficient Reduce the risk of nature deficient

disorderdisorder Provide professional development Provide professional development

for educators in environmental for educators in environmental content and field based instructioncontent and field based instruction

Do we need educational reform to Do we need educational reform to support EE and programs like farm support EE and programs like farm to school?to school?

ProsPros Increase government Increase government

fundingfunding EE and nutrition EE and nutrition

education are given education are given credibilitycredibility

Counteracts other Counteracts other policies like No Child policies like No Child Left Behind that Left Behind that narrows curriculumnarrows curriculum

ConsCons How to evaluate How to evaluate

student achievementstudent achievement Limiting curriculum in Limiting curriculum in

EE EE Rushing through Rushing through

curriculum to get curriculum to get through standardsthrough standards

Test centric Test centric curriculumcurriculum

ConclusionConclusion

I believe that farm to school programs areI believe that farm to school programs arevery important to environmental educationvery important to environmental educationand environmental literacy. It isand environmental literacy. It isfundamental that our children understandfundamental that our children understandthe energy and resources that are required the energy and resources that are required to produce our most essential need, food. Into produce our most essential need, food. Inaddition we must provide students with moreaddition we must provide students with moresustainable agricultural practices and instill in sustainable agricultural practices and instill in them lessons about nutrition so they may leadthem lessons about nutrition so they may leadhealthier lives.healthier lives.

CitationsCitations(2005, December). Eat smart farm fresh: A guide to buying and locally- grown produce in (2005, December). Eat smart farm fresh: A guide to buying and locally- grown produce in

school. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from United States Department of Agriculture Web school. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from United States Department of Agriculture Web site: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Guidance/Farm-to-School-Guidance_12-19-2005.pdfsite: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Guidance/Farm-to-School-Guidance_12-19-2005.pdf

Imas, K. (2004, May 1). A healthy partnership: Innovative farm to school programs Imas, K. (2004, May 1). A healthy partnership: Innovative farm to school programs address childhood nutrition. address childhood nutrition. State NewsState News, Retrieved April 2, 2009, from , Retrieved April 2, 2009, from http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-595984/A-healthy-partnership-innovative-http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-595984/A-healthy-partnership-innovative-farm.htmlfarm.html

Joshi, A., Azuma, A.M, & Feenstra, G. Do farm-to school programs make a difference? Joshi, A., Azuma, A.M, & Feenstra, G. Do farm-to school programs make a difference? Findings and future research needs. Findings and future research needs. Journal of Hunger and Environmental NutritionJournal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, , 33, , Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19320240802244025. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19320240802244025.

Orr, D.W. (1994). Orr, D.W. (1994). Earth in mind: On education, environment, and the human prospectEarth in mind: On education, environment, and the human prospect. . Washington, DC: Island Press. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Smith, G.A., & Williams, D.R. (1999). Smith, G.A., & Williams, D.R. (1999). Ecological education in action: On weaving Ecological education in action: On weaving education, culture, and the environmenteducation, culture, and the environment. Albany, NY: State University of New York . Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Press.

Stone, M.K., & Barlow, Z. (2005). Stone, M.K., & Barlow, Z. (2005). Ecological literacy: Educating our children for a Ecological literacy: Educating our children for a sustainable worldsustainable world. San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books. . San Francisco, CA: Sierra Club Books.