school food procurement
TRANSCRIPT
Teresa Wiemerslage
Iowa State University Extension
Communications and Program Coordinator
NIFF Coalition Coordinator
(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