oakland unified school district farm to school initiatives

Oakland Unified School District Farm to School

Initiatives

Defining LOCAL in Oakland

Local In Oakland: The NumbersOakland Unified School District 86 Schools37,000 students enrolled 39,000 meals served per day71% free and reduced

Local Purchasing – ProduceMeal Program – 50-65% local depending on the season Harvest of the Month – 100% localProduce Markets – 75-85% local depending on the season Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program – 65-75% local depending on the season

New Farm to School Initiative: California Thursdays

Why CA Thursdays?• Freshly prepared meals• Boost for the local economy• Reduced carbon footprint

California Thursdays is:• Freshly prepared meals• Fresh CA crops• Local producers• Family farms• Professional Development• Innovative procurement

strategies• Marketing opportunities • Nutrition education

Chorizo and Greens

Kung Pao Chicken

CA Thursday 2013 Launch

CA Thursday 2013 Launch

Sourcing: Produce

• Local Produce• Defining “Small Scale”• Creative Procurement

October Boot Camp!

October Boot Camp!

October Boot Camp!

School Produce Markets

Program Overview

• 20 school sites across Oakland.• In all schools, more than 70% of Students

qualify for F/R Lunch.• Weekly markets open during after school

hours.• Open to parents, school staff, students, and

neighborhood residents.

Program Overview

• 20-60 varieties of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and honey sold at each market.• Affordable prices with low mark-up from

wholesale prices.• 75-100% Pesticide-Free or Certified Organic

produce, 75-85% local depending on the season.• Culturally familiar foods like tomatillos, collard

greens and Chinese broccoli & new items like kale, chard and butternut squash.

Oakland FRESH!

Oakland FRESH!

Successes

• Increased ACCESS to fresh, local, affordable produce.

• Schools as community centers.• Positive peer pressure = healthy eating at

school AND at home.• Supporting small family farms.

Successes

• Distributed 340,000 pounds of produce in neighborhoods surrounding 20 schools in East and West Oakland.

• Sold over $500,000 worth of produce last year.

• Gained the tireless and invaluable support of more than 200 community residents as Volunteers!

• Hired 35 community residents as Market Managers.

Oakland FRESH!

Our Farmers!

Challenges• Central distribution capacity.• Under-resourced school district.• Competing priorities of test scores and

teaching with market operations/outreach.

Challenges• Staffing structure imbalances: unpaid liaisons,

varying skill sets of managers, dependence on volunteer labor.• Training. • Cost/Pricing – Access vs. support of

sustainable agriculture.• Driving demand.