New USDA information indicates that farm-to-school programs have improved the quality of student nutrition nationwide,reports The Rural Blog. More than 42,000 schools in the US have farm-to-schools programs. The programs have increased the number of school meals sold, improved consumption of healthier foods in schools and helped to reduce plate waste, according to the Department of Agriculture report.
The preliminary findings include evidence that 17 percent of participating school districts have reduced plate waste; 28 percent are more accepting of healthier school meals; 17 percent have increased participation in school meals; 21 percent have lowered the school meal program costs and 39 percent have more support from parents and their community for healthier school meals.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release that he hopes congress will act quickly to reauthorize the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.