Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
It’s North Carolina Farm to School Week, and the NCDA&CS is asking schools across the state to celebrate this program, which helps put fresh North Carolina produce in schools.
The NCDA&CS Marketing and Food Distribution divisions coordinate the program, but Commissioner Troxler says they couldn’t do it without the support of the school nutrition directors who work hard to make sure kids have access to healthy and nutritious meals.
Eighty-three of the state’s 115 school systems participated in Farm to School during the 2013-14 school year, and they purchased over $1.3 million worth of North Carolina food.
The Commissioner says there are several ways schools can celebrate Farm to School Week. These include featuring N.C. products on the menu; inviting parents and school board members to enjoy N.C. products in the cafeteria; and teaching students about the crops grown in North Carolina and their nutritional value.
The N.C. Farm to School Cooperative is offering prizes to schools for their work to promote N.C. Farm to School. For more information, plus lesson plans, classroom activities and other resources, click here.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda discuss North Carolina Farm to School Week.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_11-4.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Nov. 4]
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