Polk County Farm to School Program

The following description is a summary of our farm to school plan funded by a 2014 USDA Farm to School Program grant: The Polk County Reorganized School District R‐1, in collaboration with Fair Play and Humansville School systems and Living Well Alliance will plan a farm to school program benefitting 3,383 students located in a rural area of southwest Missouri. An average of 69% of students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, with several of those participating in the “Back Pack” program to help supply meals on the weekend as well. This project will accelerate these districts’ progress toward a restructuring of their “Comprehensive School Health Programs,” which will expand produce with higher nutrient content into all meals served to students. While these districts have taken modest steps to date, such as movement toward more fresh fruits and vegetables to students when available and initial participation in the Healthier US School Challenge, no specific farm to school activities have been undertaken. This funding will provide opportunity for these districts to address gaps and resources in their planning work that would add essential, missing elements to expand healthy nutrition benefits to all students in the districts.