Farm to School on the Choctaw Reservation

The following description is a summary of our farm to school plan funded by a 2014 USDA Farm to School Program grant: The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (a federally‐recognized Indian tribe) operates the largest unified reservation school system in the United States with 2,194 students. There are six elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Per the National Center for Health Statistics Guidelines, 19.8% in the age 2‐18 cohort are considered overweight and 35.6% are obese (or, at risk of obesity). The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has a Fresh Produce Initiative which raises fruits and vegetables for use in schools and the tribal resort. The tribal council has advised the school system to incorporate locally produced foods into the menus in school food service operations, and this application seeks funding for planning for that activity.