The state has been awarded federal grant funding to provide schoolchildren with more fresh, locally grown foods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding the 70-thousand dollar grant to Michigan in part to leverage the state’s experience with farm-to-school programs.
Jaime Malnar works in the Food Distribution Unit with the Michigan Department of Education.
“We try to bridge together certain programs and goals that we’re working on and that’s essentially what this grant will do is continue to bring all of the players involved and even reach out to some other groups that have the same goals and we will work together on the goal of having schools purchase fresh local produce.”
Malnar said the goal is to have Michigan’s K-12 public schools purchasing at least 20 percent of their fruits and vegetables from local sources by 2020.
“Some strategic planning, getting some resources together, communication. So there’s going to be more of an administrative side so instead of working in silos we’ll be working more as a team and this is going to help support that team.”
Malnar said farm-to-school programs have a twofold benefit: providing children with locally grown food, and supporting Michigan agriculture.