DOE wins Farm to School Grant

CONCORD- The New Hampshire Department of Education has won a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase the amount of local food used in school nutrition programs. The $50,000 Farm to School grant will provide training and technical assistance, including:

• Training videos to provide school food service professionals tips on properly preparing local foods,
• A local food procurement toolkit that will give information on the purchasing requirements for buying local foods and,
• A conference to provide workshops for both school food service professionals and farms.

“Exposing New Hampshire children to more local food is important as it provides them with knowledge of regional fresh fruits and vegetables that are available,” said Cheri White, Administrator of DOE’s Office of Nutritional Services and Programs. “And purchasing local food will help support New Hampshire’s farming community and expose children to as many local foods as possible.”

Last year, Commissioner Frank Edelblut highlighted the Farm to School greenhouse at Southwick School in Northfield as part of the School Days, Lunch Trays, and Gourmets video series.

“Farm to School programs not only provide nutrition, but education,” Edelblut added. “By showing students where their food comes from, and even having them help grow it, Farm to School programs provide lessons in math, science, and healthy eating.”

The DOE was one of three grant recipients in New Hampshire. The other two awards went to The Cornucopia Project at South Meadow School in Peterborough and Somersworth Public Schools.

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s grant award announcement.