Serving local foods through school meal programs is often a central component of farm to school initiatives. But before schools and districts start purchasing local foods or determine which local foods they are already purchasing, they must determine what foods are grown, harvested, raised, caught, and processed in the region and when those foods are available. Knowing these things about the surrounding agricultural landscape can help schools and districts take the critical step of defining "local." The questions below are meant to help you survey your local agriculture and help you develop a definition of local that works for you.
Local Sourcing Questions to Consider
Definition of "Local" or "Regional"
Has your school or district defined "local" or "regional"? If so, what is your definition and how was it established?
TIP! You can define "local" or "regional" however you like: within a certain number of miles from your school, within the state, or within the county. You might also choose to define the terms differently for different types of products. Involving food service staff, local growers, food distributors, and others in helping you define local will ensure that the definition suits your needs.
For example: A school could decide that because there are so many fruit and vegetable producers within their county, "local" fruits and vegetables must come from within county lines. However, if the county has only one dairy, then "local" milk, cheese, and yogurt might come from anywhere in the state.
Some Real Life Examples
Page County Public Schools, in Virginia, defines local using three tiers:
- Within the County
- Within the Region (within 90 miles of Luray, VA)
- Within the State
While a product that meets the first tier definition is preferred, a product that falls within any of the three tiers would be considered a local product.
- Oakland Unified School District, in California, defines local within a 250-mile radius of Oakland.
- Hinton Public Schools, in Oklahoma, defines local as within Oklahoma.
Local or Regional Agricultural Products
What types of foods are produced within the area(s) you've defined as "local" or "regional"?
TIP! To find out what grows locally, try looking for seasonality charts online, talking to farmers at a farmers' market, or calling your local agricultural extension office. And don't forget to include dairy, meat, poultry, fish, and grains in your survey.
Sources of Local Foods
Existing Suppliers, Contracts, and Procurement Systems
How do you currently procure foods, both local and non-local? What food-related contracts do you currently hold? What local food items are currently available through your contracted suppliers? Do you use any guidelines or templates to create invitations for bids, requests for proposals, and informal procurement solicitations?
TIP! Many schools experience success working with their existing suppliers and procurement framework to procure local foods. Before deciding to develop new relationships, contracts, and systems, take stock of the opportunities available through your current procurement system.
Suppliers
From whom do you intend to source local foods? Will you buy through your produce distributor, a broadline supplier, the DoD Fresh Program, a farmers' cooperative, a food hub, directly from individual farmers, or by some other means?
If you plan to source directly from producers or to identify producers with whom your produce distributor will establish contracts, how will you find (or have you found) these businesses and individuals?
TIP! In order to answer these questions, you'll likely have to explore many options. Maybe your produce distributor would be happy to offer more local foods if they just knew who to buy them from, or perhaps there's a farmers' cooperative nearby that's been interested in pooling their products for institutional purchasers. You won't know until you start looking. There may be local organizations, including state and local governmental agencies, that can help you!
.tip { background-color: #f3f3f3; padding: 8px; border-left: 4px solid #6a1b9a; }
