U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop Jr. confirmed the expansion of local foods in school meals through a cooperative agreement with Georgia.
U.S. Department of Agriculture signed a $7.1 million cooperative agreement with Georgia to increase the state's purchase of local and nutritious foods for school meal programs, according to a March 13 news release.
“This cooperative agreement supporting Georgia schools is another example of how USDA is working to build a more resilient food system rooted in local and regional production," USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt said in the release. "The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program provides an opportunity for states to strengthen ties between local farmers, ranchers, food businesses and schools, and gives students access to nutritious foods unique to the area they live in, building stronger connections across local communities.”
The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program will be managed by the Georgia Department of Education, which will purchase and distribute local and regional foods and beverages for schools through the USDA's National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, the release reported. The program aims to promote healthier eating habits among children and foster stronger relationships between schools and local farmers by providing unique and healthy foods that are specific to the area.
“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," Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Stacy Dean said in the release. "Through this program and many other efforts to support the school meal programs, USDA is committed to giving schools the tools they need to set children up to learn, grow and thrive.”
The Local Food for Schools program is designed to improve child nutrition while also promoting local agriculture, according to the release. By connecting schools with local farmers, the program aims to provide fresh and healthy food options for children while supporting the local economy.
The USDA hopes the program will serve as a model for other states looking to promote healthier eating habits and support local agriculture, the release reported.
