The declaration aims to advance direct farm to school programs nationally, which should in turn bolster local agricultural economies and improve school nutrition, explained Beth Feehan, director of the New Jersey Farm to School Network.
More than 31 million U.S. children in eat at school five years a week, 180 days per year.
"As a voice from the Garden State it should not be a storm that I support bringing Jersey tomatoes or sweet corn into schools.
But this is not merely a local resolution," Holt said in a news release, adding that farm-to-school programs are a precedence for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama. "Farm to school programs can assist in the fight against childhood obesity and economically support our local farmers."
Incentives to gain the accessibility of local produce in school meal programs were also partly of the Child Nutrition Act that passed last week by the House.
Highlights of the Produce to School Month program are:
-- recognizing Farm to School programs as a proven effective strategy that can offer quick and long-term benefits to child health, small and medium-sized agricultural producer income, and community economic development
-- ensuring that the union government assists schools and local educational agencies with planning, technical assistance, and execution of Produce to School programs
-- encouraging schools and local education agencies to use local produce in meals throughout the month of October
-- raising awareness among schools, produceers and farm groups, local businesses, nonprofit institutions, churches, cities, state governments, and other local groups of Produce to School efforts in their communities.
Marion Kalb, co-director of the Home Farm to School Network, noted that Grow to School programs are now alive in all 50 states and that the appointment of a Raise to School month will help "take one step nearer to nourishing the land one tray at a time."
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