New resource guide and school curriculum aimed at expanding farm-to-school programs in Kentucky

A resource guide and school curriculum are the latest efforts to expand farm-to-school programs in Kentucky. With fewer than 30 percent of Kentuckians consuming the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables every day, farm to school is a “win-win for students, school food service, farmers and local economies,” said Elaine Russell, coordinator for Kentucky Obesity Prevention Program and chairwoman of the Kentucky Farm-to-School Task Force.

The guide includes advice from Kentuckians who have already participated in projects; resources to connect farmers and school food service directors, how to follow procurement rules; recipes; a produce calculator; funding sources; and how to get kids to eat their vegetables.

The curriculum helps students recognize the sources of the food they eat and explains how eating locally-grown food can improve their diet and nutrition.

The undertaking is a joint effort between the Kentucky Department for Public Health the state Department of Agriculture the state Department of Education and the University of Kentucky. The new resources will be presented to school food service personnel June 19 at the Kentucky School Nutrition Association’s conference at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. (Read more)