hawaii farm to school update, mar09
DESCRIPTION
Update on farm to school movement in Hawai'i as presented at 4th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in March 2009. Send updates to [email protected].TRANSCRIPT
HAWAI‘I FARM-TO-SCHOOLgrowing a movement
Updated March 2009
HAWAI‘I BASICSIsolated island chain
Population = 1.2 M
10,930 square miles; 7 populated islands
High reliance on food imports & fossil fuels
7 days worth of food on island
Ethnically & culturally diverse
HAWAI‘I AGRICULTURE
• Fertile land, year-round growing season
• Crop diversity increasing• GMO experimentation• High land values, shortage of
farm labor• Lack of processing,
distribution infrastructure• Farmers interested in
supplying schools, want to know what to grow!
‘AINA In Schools:Actively Integrating Nutrition &
Agriculture in Schools
• Six Integrated Components:School Gardens, Agricultural literacy, Waste reduction & management, Nutrition education, Local & Fresh school lunch, Family & community outreach
• 10 participating schools on O‘ahu
• Workshops, mini-grants for other schools
www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org/aina
Mala‘ai, The Culinary Gardens of Waimea Middle School
• Modeled after the Edible Schoolyard
• Collaborates with teachers to develop customized lessons
• Breakfast snacks during testing
• Community presentations & workshops
• www.malaai.org
Hawai‘i Island School Garden Network
• Goal: increase consumption of locally produced food on island
• Networking with educators at 50+ schools on Hawai‘i Island
• Workshops, networking, technical assistance
http://www.kohalacenter.org/HISGN/about.html
OTHER FARM TO SCHOOL & FOOD PROGRAMS
• Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha (Makaha, O‘ahu: www.hoa-aina.org)
• MA‘O Youth Organic Farms and ‘Ai Pono (Wai‘anae, O‘ahu: www.maoorganicfarms.org)
OUR STRENGTHS• Growing interest in food
self-sufficiency
• One state-wide school district--opportunity for BIG change
• DOE Wellness Policy utilized by schools to support, implement F2S
• Great growing conditions!
• Tight communities with strong traditions
OUR CHALLENGES
School Lunch:• One school district!• Fixed menu statewide• School budgets• DOE can’t quantify produce
needs • Inconsistency of local
produce; small farmsOther Components:• Not enough hours in school
day• Few staff positions
dedicated to F2S issues
2009 LEGISLATION
• SCR121: Feasibility study for statewide F2S program (alive as of 3/30/09)
• Others, deferred or waiting to be heard:– Establishes a F2S nutrition program– Local produce at lunch 1x/week– Hawai‘i products preferences– Vegetarian lunch option– Establishes the F2S program in DOE
A BRIGHT HORIZON
Increasing interest in food & fuel independence
High interest in F2S across Hawai‘i
Trainings, funding networking opportunities
Legislative interest, support
Growing number of organizations, partnerships
MAHALO!
Please send inquiries or updates about your Hawai‘i program to [email protected]