Don’t miss these items in local food and agriculture news from around our region:
This October, Food Tank is celebrating national Farm-to-School Month in the United States. In the U.S. alone, over 42,000 schools are changing their communities with farm-to-school programs, impacting the lives of over 23 million students. And schools and organizations across the world—from Australia to Zambia—are redesigning food education with on-site gardens, educational farms, and nutritious meals.
Bringing locally sourced and fresh food closer to students can help equip them for a healthy and environmentally-friendly future. According to the National Farm to School Network, every dollar invested in farm-to-school activities reduces food waste at school, increases a child’s fruit and vegetable consumption by more than 40 percent, and even improves test scores. Beyond the school, food education investments multiply, increasing local economic activity and engaging parents—and communities—in healthier eating habits at home.
Food Tank is spotlighting these 30 organizations joining farmers, nutritionists, policymakers, and educators around innovative food education: Agri Aware, Australian Organic Schools, Chengelo School, Dairy NZ, Developing Innovations in School Cultivation, Ecotrust, Farm to Cafeteria Canada, Farm to School Africa, Farm to School, Food Connects, Food Corps, Food for Life, Fresh Roots, Gallatin Valley Farm to School, Garden to Table, Ghana School Feeding Programme, Green School, Linking Environment and Farming Education, Model Vihti, National Farm to School Network, National School Feeding Programme, Permaculture Institute of Asia, Purchase from Africans for Africa Program, School Meals Program, Seven Generations Ahead, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, Strengthening School Feeding Programs, The Agricultural School of Fundación Cristo Vive Bolivia, The Big Green, and Vermont Feed.
