Healthy sustainable food resources for MN schools
What is Farm to School?
Farm to School is a rapidly growing initiative
that promotes children’s health by providing fresh, healthy and
minimally processed foods to schools, while building markets for farmers
whose products have historically been absent from school lunch trays.
Farm to School is now happening in Minnesota and across the United
States. Why is Farm to School important?
At IATP, we believe that healthy eating habits are
essential to an individual’s lifelong well-being. In particular,
children should have access to fresh, healthy foods as part of a
nutritionally-balanced school meals program. Studies show that students
will eat more fruits and vegetables when they are fresh and picked at
the peak of their flavor. Students are also more likely to try new
foods when they are part of a Farm to School program.
Who benefits from Farm to School?
Not only does Farm to School improve nutrition for
school children, it strengthens local economies by expanding markets
for small and mid-size agricultural producers and food entrepreneurs
whose products have typically been unavailable at school.
It also enhances children’s “food literacy” by
familiarizing students with foods grown nearby, teaches them how and
where their food is grown, builds knowledge about how to prepare healthy
foods, and educates them about the health, nutrition, social and
environmental impacts of food choices. Farm to School can also be a
great way to build positive relationships among students, parents,
farmers, educators and other members of the community.
What is the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) doing to support Farm to School in Minnesota?
IATP partners closely with the Minnesota School
Nutrition Association to build the Farm to School movement across the
state. Collaborative efforts include trainings for school food service
staff, building connections with farmers, conducting an annual Farm to
School survey, and raising public awareness about Farm to School.
IATP has also developed an extensive array of
easy-to-use F2S promotional materials for use in the cafeteria,
classroom and beyond. Schools who are interested in these materials can
learn more at iatp.org/farm2school. Nationally, IATP is an active
player in the national Farm to School Network, which advocates for child
nutrition and farm policy that supports healthier food environments in
schools across the country. We also collaborate with a range of other
non-profit organizations and agencies to support Farm to School in
Minnesota and nationally. Other organizations working to advance Farm
to School are listed in the Resources section of this website.
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