Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with the Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
School is out across North Carolina, and it ended on a high note for the N.C. Farm to School Program. School systems purchased a record $800,000 worth of North Carolina commodities during the 2009-2010 school year. That’s $100,000 more than 2008-2009.
The overall record was due in part to record orders for strawberries and blueberries. The NCDA&CS delivered more than 13,000 flats of strawberries and 1,700 flats of blueberries this year. Other commodities included watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, apples, cabbage, broccoli and sweet potatoes.
The NCDA&CS Food Distribution and Marketing divisions coordinate the Farm to School Program. Food Distribution coordinates deliveries of the commodities from the farms to the school systems, and the Marketing Division works with farmers to fill orders.
Listen in as Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about the success of this program.
NOTE: Due to a technical glitch, audio is currently unavailable through In the Field. Please click here to listen to the audio on Southern Farm Network’s Ag Daily website.
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