Transcript Staff Writer

According to research, students choose more servings of fruits and vegetables when they are given the choice of high quality, farm-fresh produce, according to Chris Kirby, the Oklahoma farm-to-school coordinator. And when children are well-nourished, they learn better, he said.

More than 400 school districts in 23 states have farm-to-school programs. The Oklahoma Food Policy Council, a joint project of the Kerr Center and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, has spearheaded the Oklahoma program.

The Kerr Center also partners with the USDA Risk Management Agency and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to help farmers provide fresh produce to Oklahoma schools.

Broken Arrow, Edmond, Shawnee and Tahlequah participated in a pilot project in the 2004-2005 school year. The districts bought Oklahoma-grown seedless watermelons and served them during the first few weeks of school. In 2006, 35 school districts served Oklahoma-grown watermelons and honeydew melons in the cafeteria as part of the Oklahoma Farm-to-School Program.

The schools in the program receive money to purchase locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables through a partnership between the USDA and the Department of Defense that is part of the school commodity program. They then buy from a list of local farmers to receive the freshest produce available.

A robust state farm-to-school program might also benefit Oklahoma food processors and farmers who grow commodity crops, Kirby said. An example would be Oklahoma wheat processed within the state into healthy bread products and sold to Oklahoma schools.

Eva Dunn, with Noble Public Schools, is a big believer in the farm-to-school program. For three years, she has bought fruits and vegetables, many from Peach Crest Farms of Stratford. Dunn then serves the students a salad or a fresh fruit cup.

Many times the produce comes from a big vendor as far away as California, Dunn said, "and they are not ripe when we get them."

This summer, the students will get fresh peaches from Peach Crest because they are the right size, Dunn said. She doesn't have to cut them and the students like getting a whole piece of fruit to eat with their meals. This summer she also will buy cucumbers and squash from local farmers. In the fall, she buys watermelon and cantaloupe.

"Eva Dunn at Noble schools is not as conscious of cost as she is with quality," Susan Bergan, owner of Peach Crest Farms said. "I can't say enough good about her."

Kirby said students not only get to eat fresh produce, the program helps kids develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime and often the students receive nutrition lessons.

Schools can buy directly from farmers, from farmers' markets, through an existing distributor or broker who procures from local farmers, or from a growers' cooperative.

Kirby said the percentage of overweight children ages 6-11 has quadrupled in the last 30 years in Oklahoma. Adolescent rates have more than doubled. Doctors are blaming poor eating habits, high sugar and high fat fast foods. Oklahoma kids are consuming more calories than they need and are not eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Kids not only eat lunch at school, many also eat breakfast and the schools are trying to reach them with better food choices.

Several research studies have shown that kids will eat more fruits and vegetables when they have easy access to a variety of high quality fresh items, often on a salad bar where they have many different choices, said Kirby. Kids from different socio-economic levels respond similarly.

Research and the experience of educators also have established that kids are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, especially unfamiliar items, if they participate in fun educational activities featuring the foods.

Buying locally is often better because the produce is harvested at peak ripeness and brought to the consumer in the shortest time possible. Therefore it is more attractive, has a pleasant odor, flavor, texture and feel and if handled properly, with high nutritive value.

Farm-to-school also has opened a large new market for farmers. In Oklahoma, according to one estimate, farmers can sell $6 million of fruits and vegetables to schools.

For more information on the Oklahoma farm-to-school program, call Kirby at 522-2106, e-mail chris.kirby@oda.state.ok.us or visit www.kerrcenter.com. The Oklahoma Food Connection, a directory of farmers, school food service and available crops is also online there or by calling the Kerr Center.