Yuba City Unified School District’s Nutrition Services Department unveiled indoor hydroponic farming to Barry Elementary School in Yuba City in October in recognition of National Farm to School Month.
A new government report highlighted the urgent need to keep food waste out of landfills, noting 30% to 40% of food produced in the U.S. is never eaten. The percentage of food waste is especially alarming for states with the highest rates of food scarcity such as New Mexico. .
Farm to School programs are hailed as a pathway to local procurement of fresh farm products and access for children to critically needed nutritious meals.
Two Colorado mothers are helping lead a school food pilot program within the Jefferson County School District in Edgewater in an effort to not only provide healthier meals, but culturally relevant foods. Esther Caldera, a community leader and mother involved in the Jefferson Area Schools Food Pilot, said it began even before the state s Healthy School Meals for All program, a ballot initiative that passed last year. Caldera said school meals have improved, more needs to be done to ensure kids can have access to healthier foods that they truly enjoy. .
A new report looking at hunger in Maryland showed the role federal nutrition programs play in supporting many residents, as well as the state s food system. The nonprofit Maryland Hunger Solutions recently released its Maryland Hunger Profiles report for 2023, which in addition to looking at the state at large, also examined county-level data. The report found there are more than 650,000 Marylanders relying on Supplemental Nutritional Assistance each month, and more than half of students in the state are enrolled to receive free or reduced-price meals. .