It’s that time of year again. Kids are shaking off the summer dust and embarking on a new school year. Parents are deciding whether to spend their mornings packing lunches or to point their kids to the school cafeteria. Of course, the kids’ reaction to that decision depends heavily on one essential factor: Just how good is the school’s food?
In this video, you’ll hear from Kristin Hilleman, Director II of Food and Nutrition Services for Capistrano Unified School District in Southern California. After receiving a letter from one student asking why their cafeteria didn’t offer organic options, Hilleman decided to investigate how hard it would be to source fresh organic food from farmers.
What she discovered surprised her: buying local organic food was far more achievable—and affordable—than she assumed.
También escucharás a Anna Nakamura Knight, una agricultora orgánica certificada por la CCOF de quinta generación cuya familia lleva más de 140 años cultivando naranjas en el condado de Orange. Hoy en día, vende naranjas a distritos escolares de primaria y secundaria, y a los niños les encantan.
When a school buys lunch ingredients from their local organic farmers, there are cascading positive effects. Students eat healthy food that supports their learning, farmers gain access to an important market opportunity, and more dollars stay circulating in local communities instead of being funneled away from the state through national supply chains.
Why CCOF Supports Farm to School Programs
“Un agricultor me llamó y me dijo: ‘Estoy viendo cómo el gran camión de Sysco se detiene frente a la escuela en este mismo momento, pero no sé cómo entregarles mis productos, que los cultivo literalmente en el terreno de al lado de esa escuela’”, recuerda Laetitia Benador, directora de políticas de CCOF.
That challenge is exactly why CCOF has worked closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to make the connection between schools and organic producers. CDFA offers a “CA Farm to School Incubator Grant Program” that awards millions in grant funding to Farm to School projects across California.
Out of the 60 producers funded through the 2023–24 CDFA Farm to School Grants, 28 percent were CCOF clients. That’s a lot of CCOF-certified food headed to hungry kids.
Want to Connect Your School with Organic Farmers?
Kids need healthy food to learn, grow, and thrive. In fact, for many students, school meals are the most dependable source of nutritious food. You can help your school district make the decision to serve nutrient-rich, organic ingredients.
Are you a school administrator?
- Visite el Página de subvenciones «De la granja a la escuela» de la CDFA para suscribirte a las novedades sobre las subvenciones y presentar tu solicitud cuando se abra el plazo.
- Find local organic farms in your area with CCOF’s directorio.
Do you have a child currently in school?
- Post this video in parent forums.
- ¡Pregunta en la escuela de tus hijos si pueden adquirir al menos un ingrediente orgánico de un agricultor local!
Want to eat more organic food at home?
Empieza por ponerte en contacto con los agricultores orgánicos de tu zona. El directorio de CCOF te facilita el contacto con explotaciones orgánicas certificadas en todo Estados Unidos.
Aprende a usar nuestro directorio y empieza a descubrir productores orgánicos de calidad en tu zona:
Paso 1: Visite www.ccof.org/GetOrganic
Segundo paso: Búsqueda por servicio, cultivo o ubicación: puede escribir lo que busca o seleccionarlo en el menú desplegable.
Tercer paso: Introduzca su ubicación y seleccione una de las opciones del mapa
Paso 4: Navegue por los productos, servicios o cultivos destacados en el menú de la izquierda
Paso 5: Click “Learn More” on any listing that interests you
Paso 6: Get in touch and choose organic!
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