Eight states to pilot USDA local purchasing program

WASHINGTON — A new U.S. Department of Agriculture program is designed to boost local control of school food purchases this year.

The states participating in the pilot haven’t been determined yet, but Agriculture Undersecretary Kevin Concannon said in late August that eight states will be granted flexibility to use federal money to purchase locally-grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables for school lunches.

Unprocessed fruits and vegetables are considered fresh, frozen or dried, but not canned, according to a USDA news release.

“Allowing pilot states to pursue procurement of local fruits and vegetables with their USDA Foods’ dollars provides added flexibility,” Concannon said in a news release. “It offers states an additional opportunity to bolster local farm economies while providing the children who participate in our school meals programs with healthy food from within their own communities.”

The USDA’s Farm to School Census reports that schools participating in farm to school activities purchased and served more than $385 million in local food in 2011-12. The census found that half of participating schools were planning to purchase even more local foods in the future.

The pilot program allows states and local districts to tap into money usually reserved to buy commodities directly from the USDA. By law, schools receive USDA foods, called “entitlement” foods. In recent years, that entitlement was valued at 23.25 cents for each meal served.