St. Paul, Minn. – Gov. Mark Dayton has declared October “Farm to School Month” in the state of Minnesota, which highlights the success of a program championed by Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL – Austin) in 2013. Under the Farm to School program, grants are available to schools and childcare centers to help them purchase equipment that enables them to serve more locally grown foods.
“It’s wonderful to hear stories from schools around the state utilizing these funds to get healthy fruits and vegetables on children’s plates,” Rep. Poppe said. “In addition to the nutrition benefits, providing kids a connection between the food they eat and its source helps them gain an important appreciation for our Minnesota family farmers.”
The program is administered through Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) funds at the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (MDA), and grants are available to schools (both public and private) and childcare providers. The grants were first made possible by funding in the 2013 Omnibus Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance Bill when Rep. Poppe chaired the House Agriculture Policy Committee. The Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has also committed funding for the program.
Examples of projects funded by the grants include: expanded coolers and freezer units big enough to store large quantities of local produce at Lewiston-Altura Elementary and the Rochester Public Schools district warehouse; new equipment and remodeling of the kitchen at Dover-Eyota Elementary School to enable processing and storage of raw produce; and equipment and storage at the Playhouse Child Care Center in Monticello to enable them to produce baby food from local produce.
To commemorate “Farm to School Month,” farmers, producers, and officials from MDA and Blue Cross will visit a dozen schools and childcare centers which have received grants from the program. More information about Farm to School Grants can be found at the MDA website.