"Farm to School" is a whole new market open to farmers everywhere. In some areas of the country, public school systems have already created relationships with farmers. It is more viable for private schools to create partnerships with farmers since these schools are independent from the state. This publication convinced me that there is a lot of potential in creating food plans between farmers and schools. When you think about it, this situation would be similar to a CSA program, in that the schools agree to pay in advance and receive whatever he or she grows. There are copious benefits for the school and the farmer. The "Farm to School" relationship is strong for a couple of reasons; it encourages local producers and processors, long- term relationships with farmers, transparent prices, and clear policies.
The document concluded with some basic tips for farmers when establishing excellent farm to school programs. It suggested the following...
1. Celebrate the small steps, it is a slow process
2. Don't "bad mouth" school meals when advertising local meal plans to schools
3. Keep everything as local as possible for the greatest benefits
4. Involve everyone in the community
5. Help consumers understand that the food isn't cheap
6. Keep raising the bar
7. Insist that food sourcing is transparent so that consumers know where it comes from
8. Promote what you are trying to accomplish in the community
9. Work to change policies for big steps
http://www.hcfs.org/resources/FarmToSchool_20131023.pdf
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