| Farms to School
Suggestions to increase purchases of
NY-grown fresh fruits and vegetables
School Food Service Directors
Become aware of fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown in New York and the Northeast. Many (apples, potatoes, cabbage, squash) are available throughout the school year due to advances in storage technology. When planning menus, check the Harvest/Availability Calendar at www.agmkt.state.ny.us/HarvestCalendar.html and the NE Regional Food Guide at www.nutrition.cornell.edu/FoodGuide/
Serve NY fruits and vegetables as snacks, for meetings and special events.
Plan and advertise meals that incorporate NY foods for special events such as NY Harvest for NY Kids or banquets.
Request that your produce supplier source from NY growers; ask for a list of what NY-grown items they carry, and what farms and packers they buy from.
If a supplier says NY produce is more expensive, ask where the cheaper items are coming from and ask for comparative price quotes.
Ask for the origin of produce items on every bid and price list.
Request bids cooperatively and order NY foods with other school districts from a produce distributor, food service business, or farmers
Produce and Food Service Distributors
Let schools know which NY fruits and vegetables will be available in the coming 6-8 weeks, so that schools can plan menus which include these foods
Find sources of locally-grown through Pride of NY web site www.prideofny.com NY Apple Association www.nyapplecountry.com Order the NYS Vegetable Growers Association Shippers Directory (315)687-5734 email: nysvga@twcny.rr.com
Market your business as supportive of New York agriculture.
Provide periodically-updated lists of what NY-grown items you carry, and the farms, packers, and processors who supply you with NY-grown.
Throughout the year, provide information about where the produce was grown on price lists and bids
Farmers.
Get to know the K-12 school market by visiting local schools and meeting with School Food Service Directors.
Pilot your products during NY Harvest for NY Kids (an annual week-long celebration in school cafeterias). Contact schools in the Spring to let them know what you will have available in September/October for their NY Harvest for NY Kids menus. If you cannot deliver directly to schools, find out which produce distributors they order from, and work with them.
Exhibit at regional industry seminars of the NYS School Food Service Association, or attend the NYSSFSA trade show at their annual state conference at the booths of your distributors, or your commodity organization (NY Apple Association, NYS Vegetable Growers, ADA & Dairy Council etc.) See www.nyssfsa.org or call
1-800-NYSSFSA for information.
Sign on to NYS Department of Ag & Market’s Pride of New York program www.prideofny.com and be listed on the Pride of NY web site as a grower selling to schools and institutions.
Work with distributors who are pro-active about sourcing NY-grown. Give them product info and brochures about your farm that they can pass on to their customers.
Exhibit at the Trade Shows and NYSSFSA regional industry seminars, or at the booths of your distributors, your commodity organization (NY Apple, NYS Vegetable Growers, etc.), or with NYS Department of Ag & Markets.
For more information about Farm-to-School in New York State:
NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets
Bill Jordan (518)457-0752 William.Jordan@agmkt.state.ny.us
NY Harvest for NY Kids www.agmkt.state.ny.us/farm2school.html
NYS Farm-to-School Coordinating Committee
Ray Denniston, NYS School Food Service Association
(607)763-1216 RDenniston@jcschools.stier.org
NY Farms!
Martha Goodsell (607)659-3710 nyfarms@baldcom.net
www.nyfarms.info
Fruits & Vegetables Distribution Project
Glenda Neff (315)255-6958 glenda_neff@juno.com
Cornell Farm-to-School Program
Jennifer Wilkins (607)255-2730 jlw15@cornell.edu
www.cce.cornell.edu/farmtoschool
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