Thirteen budding student artists were recently chosen as winners in the annual Farm to School Calendar Contest, sponsored by the North Carolina Grange. Each month depicts the art of a student and represents a different commodity. The calendar also includes daily facts about agriculture, giving students an understanding of agriculture’s role in food production.
“The calendar art contest is a popular part of our Farm to School program. This year we had more than 4,500 entries from students across 58 counties,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “What I see from their artwork is that they have a good understanding of farms and what agriculture looks like here in North Carolina.”
Prizes for student winners from kindergarten through fifth grade include gift cards from the N.C. Farm to School Cooperative and the School Nutrition Association of North Carolina. They were awarded at the Got to Be N.C. Festival in Raleigh on May 16.
For 28 years, the N.C. Farm to School Program has helped place products from North Carolina farms into the state’s school cafeterias. This year, the program provided North Carolina over $2.2 million worth of food products to schools across the state, with $600,000 of these sales being funded by a Local Foods for Schools Grant. This program is a collaboration of the Food Distribution and Marketing divisions in the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Agriculture and agribusiness is North Carolina’s leading industry with an economic impact of $111.1 billion, employing a sixth of the state’s workforce. The Farm to School Program provides farmers with market opportunities and encourages students to take an interest in the state agriculture industry.
“I hope some of the young people sitting in this room today will pursue a career in agriculture,” Troxler said at the reception.
The North Carolina Grange sponsors the competition and ensures that schools and students receive calendars free of charge. If needed, more copies can be obtained through NCDA&CS while supplies last and a printable calendar is available online at www.ncfarmtoschool.com.