“Prepared in Mind and Resources” – More Than Just a State Motto

Spinach Salad with Sliced Egg, Warm Bacon Dressing and Crumbled Clemson Blue Cheese
Tilapia Filet with a Shrimp Mornay Sauce
Sweet Potato au Gratin with Goat Cheese and Apples
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Apple Cobbler with Fresh Whipped Cream

In addition to being delicious, there is one thing each of these menu items has in common – they were all made from locally provided ingredients from South Carolina and were highlight of the 2009 Agribusiness Summit  hosted by the Palmetto Institute.
 
Deputy Secretary Merrigan was the keynote speaker at the lunch who was quick to highlight the importance of locally grown and raised foods for the future of agribusiness and the economy of South Carolina.
 
The Palmetto Institute is a nonprofit think tank with the goal of bolstering per capita income in South Carolina.  After its founding in 2001, the Institute commissioned a study to assess economic conditions in the state. The resulting research showed that agribusiness is the state’s leading economic engine, contributing about $34 billion to South Carolina’s economy. The Institute and the South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers  used the summit to launch a new initiative, “The Drive to 50 by 20.”  By accelerating its momentum, SC agribusiness has the potential to grow to $50 billion by the year 2020.

  

Deputy Secretary Merrigan addressed the crowd of approximately 200 people representing a cross-section of South Carolina agriculture, including farmers, business leaders and bankers.
She emphasized the importance of trade and opening new markets to South Carolina’s products and stressed that local and regional food systems is considered a big part of these new opportunities.
 
In a fitting with the ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ theme, we had the chance to meet the young farmer responsible for growing the delicious rainbow chard.  From farm to plate, South Carolina is leading the way and setting an example for the future of agribusiness.

Permalink  |  Posted: 08:49AM Nov 17, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

An Informative Farm-to-School Roundtable in St. Paul

I had the opportunity this week to participate in a roundtable discussion and tour of the St. Paul Schools’ Nutrition Services center. Joining me were local school foodservice professionals and members of the farming, distribution and non-profit community who are working to expand Farm-to-School programs in Minnesota.

The St. Paul Farm-to-School program is part of a rapidly expanding effort by school districts throughout the country to purchase locally grown food from small and mid-size farmers. Farm-to-School programs link children and local farms through cafeterias and classrooms. The programs educate kids about where and how their food is grown while introducing them to healthier, fresher foods. The programs also provide new opportunities for farms targeting local markets.

The Minnesota School Nutrition Association and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy are partnering to spearhead Farm-to-School efforts with districts across the state. St. Paul Public Schools featured a dozen local fruits and vegetables in school lunches during the first six weeks of this school year alone. During that time, St. Paul schools purchased 110,000 pounds of locally-grown produce. An impressive 56 percent of the district's total fresh produce purchases were local products. Also, listen to a Public Service News report on my visit here.  

USDA has recently created a Farm-to-School Tactical Team to travel across the country to work with local and state authorities, school districts and community partners to gather and disseminate information on infrastructure and best practices for procuring local produce and implementing farm to school activities. The team is planning several visits in the weeks to come, and I look forward to reviewing their findings. 

Join me today at 3pm ET for a live Facebook chat about Farms to School efforts and the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative. 

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan

Permalink  |  Posted: 10:07AM Nov 05, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]

Merrigan Highlights Successful Farm-to-School Programs

When we rolled out the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative back in September, a special highlight for me was the announcement of the Farm-to-School Tactical Teams.  Through the leadership of Congress and the 2008 Farm Bill, schools can now use federal dollars to support their local farmers all the while providing students with fresh, wholesome foods that taste like they came from just around the corner (because they did!). 

My excitement stems from the fact that I understand just how important a farm-to-school program can be.  It can better connect children with their food and inspire an appreciation for agriculture and the land; it can provide a market for farmers and co-ops looking for continuity and stability; and it can generate wealth within a community and, more importantly, keep it there.

Yesterday I wrote about the Independence Community School District in northeastern Iowa and the success they’ve had in bringing local foods into their schools.  Well, the connection between the school district and farmers didn’t happen overnight, and today I’d like to talk about some folks who were central to connecting local farmers to schools in another part of the country.

The New North Florida Cooperative (NNFC) has assisted farmers with networking and management skill while working with school employees on menu planning, procurement, and fresh produce storage and preparation.  While there are certainly a lot of dots to connect, their efforts have paid off: more than one million students have been served fresh, local foods in 72 school districts!

This worked because of NNFC’s commitment to working with both farmers and school food service professionals.  It’s already hard enough to get kids to eat fresh greens, but unless there’s someone to wash them, chop them, and incorporate them into a tasty meal, that feat is impossible.  While there’s only one NFFC, the USDA’s tactical team will play a similar role in helping communities around the country bridge the gap between local farmers and students.

Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan 

Permalink  |  Posted: 04:42PM Nov 04, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [2]

Iowa School District Stays Local for School Meals

As we gear up for our next Facebook chat focusing on USDA’s work surrounding farm to schools efforts, I want to share with you a story that I came across in northeastern Iowa.

Kelly Duritsa, who is the School Food Service Director of the Independence Community School District in northeastern Iowa, was asking around about sourcing locally grown foods for her school breakfasts and lunches.  (With USDA’s help, schools around the country provide low-cost or free meals to schoolchildren each day.)  In this case, Kelly was able to link up with local farmers with the assistance of her school board, community members, and a coordinator at the local farmers market.  Now she can serve fresh and local foods like sweet corn, strawberries, apples, and asparagus to her hungry students.

Of course, we here at USDA recognize that Kelly and her team had to be smart to make the leap to serving fresh and local fruits and vegetables in her schools.  While it may seem like a simple, straightforward idea, this isn’t always the case. Starting with the fact that the school year and the growing season only overlap for a few months a year in most parts of the country, Food Service folk have to do serious planning ahead to make this work. 

So, as we hold up the Independence Community School District as an example that others may follow, I want to invite you to join our Facebook chat on Thursday at 3pm as we discuss how we can help make local, healthy food a daily part of our children’s lives. Become a fan of the USDA on Facebook today!

Permalink  |  Posted: 11:19AM Nov 03, 2009 by USDAblogger in USDA Web Site  |  Add Your Comment Here [0]