school food procurement

Teresa Wiemerslage

Iowa State University Extension

Communications and Program Coordinator

NIFF Coalition Coordinator

wiemer@iastate.edu

(563) 794-0599

“Why don’t we grow our own food in the American Heartland?”

Child Nutrition ProgramsProcurement Overview

NE Iowa Food & Farm Coalition

Food System Support Team

Why Local?Defining Local for Your School

FFI Youth 4-H Team ICN

January 18, 2012

Local Food is Good For…

• You• Your Family• Community and School• Farmers• Environment

What we eat matters…

15 Foods…that can be grown in northeast Iowa at a price similar to conventional school food sources.

Local prices were based on in-season prices on produce grown in the field.

Source: NE IA Food Service survey, 2010.

1. Apples

2. Bell peppers

3. Broccoli

4. Cabbage

5. Carrots

6. Cauliflower

7. Cucumbers

8. Melon: muskmelon

9. Melon: honeydew

10. Melon: watermelon

11. Radishes

12. Summer squash

13. Tomatoes (slicing)

14. Tomatoes (cherry)

15. Winter squash

Examples of “Local”

Question

What is your definition of “local”?

Strategy A Ensure that school district policies & practices support healthy living of children, families and community members

Policy and System Change Target – Procurement policy allows for geographic preference of local foods in schools

Activities to support change in target: • Farm to School program • Home Grown Lunch Week • Food Service workshops • Producers contracts • K-3 Curriculum taught by high school students • School gardens

What is Procurement?

•Generally, it is the process of purchasing goods or services. Most important principle = COMPETITION

• FREE AND OPEN competition. All suppliers are on the same level playing field and have the same opportunities for that business.

Why is Competition Important?

• Allows for best:•Cost of products and services•Quality of products and services

•Important:

Procurement procedures may never unduly restrict or eliminate competition.

Procurement Methods• Informal procurement

•Small purchase threshold •Under $100,000

•Formal Procurement•Competitive Sealed Bidding•Competitive Negotiation•Examples: milk, bread

Question

Why do you think a local farmer may need an advantage in bidding to a school?

Geographic Preference

2008 Farm Bill amended the National School Lunch Act to allow institutions receiving funds through the Child Nutrition Programs to apply a geographic preference when procuring unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agriculture products. •Local = Discretion left to the institution responsible for procurement•Unprocessed = only those agricultural products that retain their inherent character

“Unprocessed”means only those agricultural products that retain their inherent character. The effects of the following handling and preservation techniques shall not be considered as processing:

Cooling

Refrigerating/freezing

Drying/dehydration

Washing

Packaging

Butchering livestock, fish and poultry

Pasteurization of milk

Size adjustment through size reduction made by:

Peeling

Slicing, dicing

Cutting, chopping, grinding

Shucking

Eligible for Geo Preference? (Processed or Unprocessed?)

Sweet corn on the cob

Local Apples

Local Yogurt

Local Jam and jellies

Local Honey

Local Chicken

Geo. preference

Geo. Preference

Not Geo. Preference

Not Geo. Preference

Geo. Preference

Geo. Preference

Schools can still purchase!

Using Geographic PreferenceTwo steps:

1. Schools define local.

2. Define Preference points• Percentage• Cents/pound• Points

EXAMPLE

Product Spec: APPLES, FRESH: to be packed to US No.1 or higher standard. Any crisp variety; 125 count minimum. (40 lb case). Five, 125 ct boxes needed weekly for 16 weeks, Aug 29-Dec 15.

Geo. Pref.: 100 miles and 10 cents/lb.

  Bidder 1 (Distributor)

Bidder 2(Grocery Store)

Bidder 3(Orchard)

Price $25.00/case$0.625

$26.00$0.65

$27.00$0.675

Meets  Geo Pref No No Yes

Final Price $0.625 $0.65 $0.575

Geographic Preference•Handout 5. Survey•South Winneshiek•Valley•Central •North Fayette•St. Joseph

•Oelwein•North Winneshiek• Riceville•Turkey Valley

Implementing Geographic Preference in NE Iowa

1. Define “Local” (TODAY)

2. SFA defines preference points

3. Present to School Wellness Team

4. Take recommendation to School Board

Geographic Preference•Handout 6. Map with 50 miles and 100 miles. •Handout 7. Map with 250 miles. •Handout 8. Farms selling to schools

Step 1. Define Local

Ask your food service: What local foods does your school serve? What farmers supply local foods to your school? What would be a good definition of local for your school district? Discuss the pros and cons of each definition. · Your county?· Your county and surrounding counties?· 50 mile radius?· 100 mile radius?· 250 mile radius?· Your state?

Report Out

What’s Next?

1. Define “Local” (TODAY)

2. SFA defines preference points

3. Present to School Wellness Team

Take It Further:

4. Take recommendation to School Board