A Movement in Bloom: Farm to School in California
October 1, 2024
During Farm to School Month, we celebrate the many programs throughout the nation that are connecting kids with healthy, locally grown food, providing nutrition and agriculture education and strengthening communities by supporting local farmers.
The positive impact of Farm to School programs on kids, farmers and communities is well established. Students whose schools have these types of programs eat more fruits and vegetables, engage in more physical activity and do better in class. Local farmers bring in more money that allows them to expand operations and create jobs. Research has found that every $1.00 invested by schools in local food creates $2.16 in additional economic activity for the state economy.
It’s no surprise that California has been a driver of this movement from the very beginning. After all, more than a third of our nation’s vegetables and more than three quarters of our fruits and nuts are grown right here in the Golden State. And the State of California has invested more than $100 million in farm to school programs since 2020 through the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. California-grown farm to school programs have become models that are emulated around the country.
This month, we’re spotlighting some of the innovative programs throughout the state that are making a difference in their communities and charting new paths forward for healthy, locally connected school food.
Planting Seeds: The Edible Schoolyard Project (Berkeley)
Legendary California Chef Alice Waters founded the Edible Schoolyard Project in 1995. Working with students, educators, families, farmers, cooks and artists, the program transformed a vacant lot at Berkeley Unified School District’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School into a vibrant garden growing fresh, organic produce. The program nourishes students’ minds as well as their bodies, using the garden as a tool to teach about healthy food, cooking, agriculture and more. The Edible Schoolyard quickly became a model for healthy school lunch programs everywhere, and they now have a network of more than 5,800 school food programs around the world.
Focusing on Fresh: Farmers’ Market Salad Bar (Santa Monica)
McKinley Elementary in Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District launched their Farmers’ Market Salad Bar in 1997, replacing the produce in their salad bars with seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers and prepared from scratch on site. They took students on farmers’ market tours and taught them about where their food comes from and how it is grown. As a result, students’ use of the salad bar tripled. The program was such a success that the district quickly began expanding it to other schools, bringing Farmers’ Market Salad Bars to all 15 schools in just four years.
Harvesting Education & Well-being: Farm to School (Oxnard)
In rich soil, great things will grow. Oxnard Union High School District’s vibrant local agricultural community, engaged students, and passionate community partners created the perfect environment for a successful farm to school program. Since 2016, Oxnard Union’s Farm to School has focused on improving nutrition, expanding school gardens, promoting locally grown food and developing student leadership skills. The program won the California School Board Association’s Golden Bell Award in 2020, and the gardens at schools throughout the district grow food that is used in cafeteria meals, culinary programs, nutrition education and more.
Healthy, Local & Sustainable: Plateful (Lincoln)
Plateful, the food and nutrition service at Western Placer County Unified School District, is committed to providing fresh, balanced, locally sourced meals that students love. Key to this approach is their farm to school program, which works with producers throughout the area to bring fresh, healthy and local ingredients to students’ plates. The district has instituted a wide range of programs, from “Harvest of the Month” programs featuring seasonal ingredients, to “Meet the Farmer” events and other educational opportunities that help kids learn where their food comes from while developing lifelong healthy habits.
We’re proud to celebrate the amazing farm to school programs in every corner of California. When schools and agricultural producers work together, the result is more nutritious meals, healthier kids, and stronger communities.