Harwood Unified School District (HUUSD) is one of six supervisory unions that have purchased the most local food through the state’s Local Food Incentive Grant program, receiving more state funding for food purchases. local.
The district increased its use of local foods in school meals from 14% in the 2022-23 grant year to 23% in 2023-24, making it the second largest purchaser of local foods in the state.
A change in the district’s approach to food purchasing led to a significant increase in purchases.
“We started strategically placing our order from USDA Foods to not include items we could buy locally, like raw ground beef and grated cheddar cheese,” said HUUSD Food and Nutrition Co-Director Erika Dolan.
“With a little extra work to ensure the items we were purchasing met local requirements, additional expense coding, and a different business mindset, we hit the 23% mark in FY22-23. “We are very proud of this achievement,” he stated.
This week, the Vermont Agency of Education, in partnership with the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, recognized six supervisory unions (SU/SD) that have achieved the highest rates of local purchasing through the local food incentives established in 2021. The efforts of schools, farms, community partners, and the state continue to create new and exciting partnerships that are boosting both the economy and food access across the state.
Now in its third year, the Local Food Incentive Grant program helps SU/SDs purchase local Vermont foods to serve in their child nutrition programs. SU/SDs that purchased at least 15% local food will receive a grant ranging from $0.15 to $0.25 per lunch served, depending on their percentage of local purchasing. In real dollars, grants awarded typically range between $20,000 and $40,000 per SU/SD.
From maple syrup to beef to fresh vegetables, the program supported a variety of agricultural sectors and introduced students to foods they would not otherwise have access to. The program not only provided fresh, healthy meals to students, but also helped create a new market for many Vermont farmers.
There were 13 SU/SDs that applied for the grant in the 22-23 and 23-24 school years. When comparing year-over-year data for this SU/SD group, local purchases increased 32%, from $730,541.69 in the 22-23 school year to $963,546.52 in the 23-24 school year.
Of the 20 SU/SDs that applied for the Local Food Incentive this year, six SU/SDs surpassed 15% and qualified for a grant:
These six schools received $170,276.85 in grants and purchased $614,339.05 in local food.
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