Organizations and Legislature Regarding Our Topic

As we begin this project focused on examining and potentially changing the food served in public schools, I've begun by researching the changes that are already being conducted. I discovered several organizations already working with schools in the Boston area and discovered pieces of legislature regarding school lunches.

Organizations to potentially connect with:

The Farm School- an organic farm in Athol, MA, which has a variety of programs (overnight field trips, summer programs and a middle school) aimed at teaching young people about sustainable farming.

Farm to School Program- an organization that attempts to create relationships between small farms and schools, to serve healthy food in school and develop culinary-based curriculum. Farm to School works with 250 public school districts, private schools and colleges in Massachusetts but the website is vague and we need to find out more specifically how involved they are.

The Food Project- a community-based organization that works especially with young adults to grow organic produce throughout the Boston area. Especially focused on reaching an economically diverse population.

Slow Food in Schools- a program of Slow Food USA that consists of several projects including "mobile healthy food cooking carts", after school farmer's markets, cooking classes, and growing food with students. Slow Food's new initiative Time For Lunch is attempting to reform the Child Nutrition Act.

Relevant Legislation:

An Act Relative to School Nutrition H4459- (State-wide) Passed with Farm to School Project as the major pressure maker. Other pressure makers included Mass. Public Health Association Staff and Rep. Peter Koutoujian. The bill says that state agencies including public colleges and universities must "make reasonable efforts" to buy local produce, that public schools must offer fresh fruit and non-fried vegetables at any location where food is sold, and establishes a commission on childhood obesity that will develop more stringent recommendations (not requirements) regarding food served in schools.

Child Nutrition Act- (National) Passed this August by the Senate, giving $4.5 billion over the next decade. The bill was then delayed in the House of Representatives until after the autumn recess. According to the Healthy Schools Campaign, the bill does not provide enough money for schools to serve nutritious food. Slow Food USA applauds the bill for $50 million for Farm to School programs and for establishing regulations to junk food from school vending machines, but criticizes it for using cuts in food stamps as funding for the changes.