Farm to School Programs in Upstate SC

“When the school food service buys local produce directly from growers through the local distributor, the entire community wins"

Farm to School Food Programs are sprouting all around the nation; these programs connect students and schools with healthy fruits and vegetables bought directly from the farmer. In South Carolina, there are over 70 schools participating in the Farm to School Program, with one of the newest programs starting at A.R. Lewis Elementary School in Pickens, SC.

Editorial from the Greenville News - May 22, 2010

A part of the new pilot program called Farm to School, which promotes the use of locally produced food in school cafeterias and is co-sponsored by the state Department of Education and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture honored two students from a Pickens elementary school for there artwork recently.
The program was formally launched this week at Walter P. Rawl & Sons farm in Pelion, according to a statement from the Department of Education.

Two students from A.R. Lewis Elementary in Pickens, Kaitlin Lauren Touzeau and Holly Clayton, placed second and third respectively in the Second Annual Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Drawing Contest sponsored by the Office of Health and Nutrition and the School Nutrition Association of South Carolina.

A.R. Lewis is one of 70 schools in the state that will be participating in the Farm to School program.

Farm to School enlists the cooperation of Lexington County growers including Rawl & Sons, Clayton Rawl Farms in Gilbert, Watsonia in Ridge Spring and Coosaw Farms in Fairfax. Senn Brothers, the local produce distributor, will be delivering fresh food directly from the farms to the schools.

Passage of the federal 2008 Farm Bill allows schools to use local preference in buying agricultural products, both locally grown and locally raised, according to Todd Bedenbaugh, the Department of Education's Director of Health and Nutrition.

“Farm to School programs can improve nutrition and local economies,” state Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said in a prepared statement. “Agriculture has the potential for creating more jobs in the local and state economy.”

Rex and Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers also support the program's aim to educate students about how agriculture is connected to food and nutrition. Children are encouraged to make healthier food choices by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.

“When the school food service buys local produce directly from growers through the local distributor, the entire community wins,” Weathers said.



This statement hold true in more ways than one. Not only are these students being offered fresh produce that is locally grown, they are participating in an initiative that connects schools directly with the community. Programs like this offer the opportunity for increased education on local agriculture, food production and nutrition. If students are taught at a young age the benefits of supporting the local economy through establishing beneficial relationships with farmers and growers, they will in turn prove to be educated and sensible shoppers as adults.

Programs like this deserve to be supported by everyone in the community. We need to ask our local school and political leaders look into the benefits of Farm to School Initiatives. If schools across the state can participate in programs like this, shouldn't Greenville County Schools follow in suit? We have a local economy that is rich with local growers and farmers, and we have a weekly farmers market that is well established and supported - why can't our schools become involved, too?

Contact the SC Department of Education and the Greenville Country Schools' Food and Nutrition Services Department today, and ask them to consider starting Farm to School programs to provide healthy and locally grown foods to our students!


Contacts:

Greenville County Food and Nutrition Services:
Director - Eileen Staples: 864-355-1245
Program Coordinator - Jennifer Sharp: 864-355-3075

SC Department of Education - Food and Nutrition Services

Todd A. Bedenbaugh
Interim Director
Suite 300
3710 Landmark Drive
Columbia, SC 29204
Tel: 803-734-8205
E-mail: tabedenb@ed.sc.gov