Public school children in West Virginia will have more locally produced food in their meal programs thanks to an agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the state.
The USDA announced Tuesday that its Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing $1.2 million to the West Virginia Department of Education for the purchase of local and regional foods and beverages to be served in school cafeterias through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.
The selected products must be healthy and particular to the area, according to the announcement, in order to both improve nutrition and relationships between schools and local farmers.
“Strengthening relationships between local producers and schools is a long-term strategy to ensure our children always have access to nutritious foods in school, a win-win for child health and American agriculture,” said Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services, in the announcement.
Farmers and producers are encouraged to use Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) funds to cultivate and manufacture products that can be used in school breakfast and lunch meal programs. The LFS program can be used to expand the pool of farmers and small businesses from underserved areas that sell products to public schools, according to the USDA.
USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said the LFS program "is another example of how USDA is working to build a more resilient food system rooted in local and regional production."
“The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program provides an opportunity for states to strengthen ties between local farmers, ranchers, food businesses and schools," Moffitt said, "and gives students access to nutritious foods unique to the areas they live in, building stronger connections across local communities.”
