Big Ag states slow to catch on to local food movement

WASHINGTON — There has been a big push for better eating practices for school-age children recently, with everything from Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to Jamie Oliver’s current petition to bring food education to schools across the globe. For many, a major aspect of better eating is eating local. Though many schools do feature local foods in their lunches, Big Ag states—who would seemingly be able to do so easily—aren’t on board as much as others.

According to NPR, federal legislation in 2008 and 2010 made local food much more attainable for schools that had previously been gridlocked in deals with big distributors. Surveys conducted since the legislation’s passing found that 36 percent of U.S. schools were serving locally-sourced foods such as carrots and peas.

Although it may seem relatively easy for Big Ag states like California and Washington, they are not among those serving the most local foods in their schools. Instead, northeastern states Maryland, Maine, Vermont and Delaware are serving the most local lunches in schools. This could be due to their smaller size, which increases the chances of local food gaining market share. Additionally, NPR cites the focus on building local food economies that states like Vermont have demonstrated in their farming communities as a contributing factor.