PROVIDENCE — More
locally grown food could be incorporated into school lunches. The Senate
recently passed a bill (S513) that promotes serving local fruits,
vegetables and dairy products in school cafeterias.
The bill’s sponsor,
Sen. Frank Lombardo III, D-Johnston, said he wants students to eat healthy foods,
noting that just as important is the health of local farms.
“We have a lot of
farms in Rhode Island that could use the business,” Lombardo said after the
36-0 Senate vote on May 21.
Lombardo originally wanted to mandate the purchasing of local foods, but, he said, he was persuaded by a co-sponsor of the bill, Sen. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown, to launch the buy-local concept as a voluntary measure. If it’s not embraced, the program may be mandated in a few years, Lombardo said.
“I want to promote
Rhode Island businesses," he said.
The state has helped
fund Farm to School efforts since 2005
through Farm Fresh Rhode Island. Today, nearly every school district in the
state buys from local farms. "It's still a vibrant program," said Ken
Ayars of the state Division of Agriculture.
According to Farm
Fresh Rhode Island, during the 2011-12 growing season, Rhode Island schools
spent $175,000 on local food, up from $73,000 in 2009-10. Portsmouth, Tiverton
and Providence spent the most per pupil. Jamestown, Chariho
and Pawtucket spent the least.
Last year, Rhode
Island schools purchased about 300,000 pounds of locally grown produce,
according to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE).
RIDE commissioner
Deborah Gist supports the legislation and efforts to use of locally grown
produce in school food-service programs. The agreements that school districts
currently sign with their food-service management companies include provisions
regarding locally grown produce. The food-service management companies agree to
maximize the use of locally grown produce whenever possible and to work with
the farm-to-school initiative.
Lombardo said he was
motivated to introduce the bill after Dame Farm in
Johnston had to scale back a portion of its farming last year because of
property ownership issues.
Per the legislation,
the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state
Department of Health would work with school boards to coordinate the new
initiative.
The bill moves on to
the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare for a hearing.