Texas Department of Agriculture / Commissioner Todd Staples

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From Farm to Fork Texas Farm-to-School Program
2011 Update

• Texas Department of Agriculture / Commissioner
  Todd Staples
• Food Nutrition Division

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What is Farm-to-School

• Establishing relationships between local foods
  and school children
• Connecting schools with local producers
• Providing exciting educational opportunities

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Benefits of Farm-to-School

• Increase school meal participation
• Reduce meal cost
• Educate children about food source
• Increase market opportunities for producers

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Current goals for statewide farm-to-school
program

• Resources
• Website
• Case Studies
• Toolkits
• Produce availability, by region
• Database of producers

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Current Resources

• USDA Farm-to-School website, www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/
  f2s
• National Farm-to-School website,
  www.farmtoschool.org
• Local Harvest, www.localharvest.org
• PickTexas.com

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Current success story

• Austin Independent School District

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We Want to Hear from You

• Is your school already participating in
  farm-to-school activities?
• Please let us know!Alyssa HeroldDirect (512)
  463-1209alyssa.herold_at_TexasAgriculture.gov

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Non-Discrimination Statement

• Our services are provided through the Texas
  Department of Agricultures Food and Nutrition
  Program funded by the U.S. Department of
  Agriculture, Food Nutrition Division. In
  accordance with federal law and U.S. Department
  of Agriculture policy, this institution is
  prohibited from discriminating on the basis of
  race, color, national origin, sex, age or
  disability.
• To file a complaint of discrimination, write
  USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication and
  Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,
  Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202)
  260-1026, [phone] (toll free), or (202)
  401-0216 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
  provider and employer.