Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, said she was pleased with the turnout for a recent meeting in Watertown to discuss the details of the farm-to-school pilot program that will be rolled out in local school cafeterias this fall.
"This meeting and the one we held late last month in Canton are among the last steps we needed to accomplish to put growers together with school food service managers so our students can eat locally grown foods in their school cafeterias this coming school year," Assemblywoman Russell said.
She said the Watertown meeting featured a nice mix of farmers, producers and school officials.
"I didn't know what kind of turnout we would get from our producers, knowing how much time they are having to spend watering their crops during the drought this summer," according to the assembly member.
"We are reaching that point in the growing season when our producers are close to knowing what products they will have to offer schools this year. That's critical because our school food service managers are ramping up for the beginning of the school year," Assemblywoman Russell noted.
She said the discussions at the meetings in Watertown and Canton have also brought out issues that will need to be improved as she seeks to gain support to expand the farm-to-school program statewide.
"We've identified areas where the state can make improvements. We need to get multi-year funding for the farm-to-school program so our farmers can make plans for their crops based on schools' needs, and our school food service managers have a better feel for the availability of local foods for their planning purposes," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"We need to be able to accommodate the schools' schedule, where purchasing and menu decisions are planned months and months in advance of food being placed on the lines in our school cafeterias. The state budget approval comes too late in the planning process for our farmers to prepare for the potential school market for the coming growing season," she added.
The 2016-17 state budget included $300,000 for a farm-to-school pilot program in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. The Adirondack North Country Association has been selected to administer the pilot program.
ANCA will be providing professional support and also have been tasked with data collection and compilation.
"They will be preparing a report based on that data, which will be critical as we try to increase this program in future years and grow it to other parts of the state," according to Assemblywoman Russell, chair of the Assembly Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy.
The schools that have been allocated funding from the pilot program in Jefferson County include Alexandria, Indian River, Lafargeville, Lyme, South Jefferson and Watertown.
St. Lawrence County schools that have expressed an interest in participating in the program include Canton, Hammond, Hermon-Dekalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Madrid-Waddington, Massena, Norwood-Norfolk, Ogdensburg Free Academy and Potsdam.
Each school will get an allotment of funds ranging from $2,750 to $40,000 for the school year tied to a formula that includes the number of meals served in each school's cafeteria the previous school year.
IN THE PHOTOS:
TOP PHOTO:
Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, left, hands out papers with details of the farm-to school pilot program that will be rolled out at schools in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. Also shown are Josh Bakelaar, director of local economies and agriculture for the Adirondack North Country Association, center, and Watertown Central School Superintendent Terry Fralick.
BOTTOM PHOTOS:
Farmers and producers from Jefferson County had a chance to meet with local school officials to discuss the implementation of the farm-to-school pilot program this fall. Among those shown are (l-r), seated, Lafargeville School Superintendent Travis Hoover, Pat Robbins of Black River Cattle Company and farmer Ken Mix. Standing in the background is Josh Bakelaar, director of local economies and agriculture for the Adirondack North Country Association.
South Jefferson Food Services Director Carol Overton talks about the needs of schools participating in the farm-to-school pilot program this fall. Also, shown clockwise from left, are farmers Mike and Jamie Charlebois, butcher Jordan Brandt of Red Barn Meats.
Farmers and producers review some of the details of the farm-to-school pilot program that will be rolled out at schools in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties this fall. Pictured are, Pat Robbins of the Black River Cattle Company, foreground, and Dani Baker of Cross Island Farm, Wellesley Island. Ms. Baker was joined at the meeting by interns working at the farm this summer.
