Colorado’s farm to school takes root, but challenges still abound

GREELEY, Colo.—Inside of the Greeley school district's cavernous food services warehouse, nutrition service director Jeremy West leans over a 40-gallon kettle and turns a crank, showing how it tilts for easier access. The pot, empty now, will soon bubble with marinara sauce or maybe burrito filling – with some of those tomatoes or beans coming from farms less than 20 miles away.

West appreciates those giant pots, but said he wouldn't mind a couple more. Preparing food from scratch takes equipment and space. He's lucky to mostly have the facilities he needs. Many other schools that want to source fresh food from local farmers and ranchers are having a harder time.

"They may not even have a sink that's large enough to wash the produce in bulk. They don't have the industrial, commercial salad spinners. They don't have the knives. Plus, they don't necessarily have kitchen staff that were hired for their culinary skills," said Lyn Kathlene, a senior research associate at Spark Policy Institute who works with Colorado's Farm to School task force.

Supporters of the farm to school effort say that it provides fresher food to students while supporting local economies. The movement has grown significantly over the past decade in Colorado, and there are now 84 school districts sourcing local food in some way. That's a success, but those involved in the effort say there are a number of obstacles keeping farm to school from becoming a sustainable and significant part of the school food program.