The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently entered into a cooperative agreement with Oregon to expand the consumption of local foods in school meals.
This partnership aims to enhance the nutritional value of food served in schools by incorporating fresh and locally-sourced produce through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, according to a March 22 news release. The agreement with the Oregon Department of Education will use $2 million to improve child nutrition and build relationships between schools and local farmers.
“This cooperative agreement supporting Oregon 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 Lester 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.”
Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Stacy Dean noted the program not only helps strengthen relationships between schools and producers, but serves as a "long-term strategy to ensure our children always have access to nutritious foods in school," according to 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,” Dean said in the release.
"I’m thrilled to see how USDA continues innovating for students and schools," Colt Gill, director of Oregon Department of Education, said in the release. "The Local Food for Schools program will help strengthen our local food system by supporting a fair and resilient food chain. This program will help Oregon address the challenges caused by supply chain disruptions that began with the pandemic."
