<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=24qJ1K_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=24qJ1K_0wEhjHxu00" width="980" height="653" ><figcaption>Jill Croce</figcaption></figure><h2>🍎Hundreds of school districts participate</h2><h2>🍎Involvement can vary</h2><h2>🍎“Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award” recipient</h2><p>Exposing children to fresh vegetables and fruits in an effort to provide better nutrition and nutrition education is the goal of the state's Farm to School initiative.</p><p>Involved schools collaborate with in-state farmers to have access to over 100 Jersey-grown produce options or hold their own activities — all made possible <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/farmtoschool/about/">through a program at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture</a>.</p><p>The initiative has exponentially grown over the past decade, according to Division of Food and Nutrition Services Director Rose Chamberlain with the state's Department of Agriculture.</p><p>To date, she said over 500 school districts statewide have announced some sort of initiative.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1dPwuV_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1dPwuV_0wEhjHxu00" width="1600" height="1057" ><figcaption>Credit: Halfpoint</figcaption></figure><p>Participation <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/farmtoschool/programs/">can vary</a> among schools: a school garden, partner with farms to provide regular nutritious meals, raised beds, lessons, taste tests and more.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=14CSC3_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=14CSC3_0wEhjHxu00" width="1600" height="1067" ><figcaption>Credit: ErimacGroup</figcaption></figure><p>“It’s also about nutrition education opportunities, showing them where their food comes from. These types of lessons are going to last a lifetime and get them to make healthier choices as they grow into adults,” Chamberlain said.</p><p>Chamberlain said there’s likely to be even more participating schools, pointing out there’s no formal sign-up for the program.</p><p>Food sourcing happens at the local level, regardless of if the district is a self-operated food service or if it goes through a food service management company. <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/farmtoschool/farmers/">Production capacity and payment</a> is determined through individual agreements with the schools.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0xlLC7_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0xlLC7_0wEhjHxu00" width="1600" height="1067" ><figcaption>Credit: stu99</figcaption></figure><p>“All schools that operate the National School Lunch Program are budget conscious. However, if they are effectively managing their program and procuring the foods for the meals, there should not be anything budgetary that's going to prevent them from having a good Farm to School initiative,” Chamberlain said.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1IDYem_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1IDYem_0wEhjHxu00" width="725" height="483" ><figcaption>Credit: Catherine Yeulet</figcaption></figure><p>A shining example is Bergen County’s <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/press/2024/approved/press240927.html">Dogwood Hill Elementary School</a> — one of the latest to be honored with the “Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award” last month during Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week. The week has been recognized since <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/pdf/f2sweeklaw.pdf?_gl=1*1gcr2x7*_ga*NDgxMTg1MDc5LjE3MTg3NTA1OTk.*_ga_06ZZHLXXEM*MTcyOTE4MjE4Ny44LjEuMTcyOTE4Mjk1Ny4wLjAuMA..">legislation was signed</a> in January 2011.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4NbGbx_0wEhjHxu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4NbGbx_0wEhjHxu00" width="1600" height="1067" ><figcaption>Canva</figcaption></figure><p>Schools with a National School Lunch Program wishing to get started with their own Farm to School efforts should reach out to the state’s <a href="https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/about/njdacontacts.html">Department of Agriculture</a>. From there, the department will provide “plenty of resources.”</p><p><a href="mailto:trenton.dme@townsquaremedia.com?subject=Feedback%20or%20correction">Report a correction</a> <i>👈 | 👉</i> <a href="https://nj1015.com/contact-nj-1015-newsroom/">Contact our newsroom</a></p><h2>NJ schools with the worst attendance problems</h2><p>These 30 schools had the highest rate of chronic absenteeism in the 2022-23 school year. Data is for the New Jersey Department of Education's annual NJ School Performance Reports.</p><h2>Income that a family of 4 needs in every NJ county</h2><p>Here’s what MIT’s Living Wage Calculator says a couple with two children needs in each New Jersey county to simply squeak by.</p></div></body>

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‘Lessons are going to last a lifetime’: 500+ NJ school districts offering nutrition education

🍎“Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award” recipient. Exposing children to fresh vegetables and fruits in an effort to provide better nutrition and nutrition education is the goal of the state's Farm to School initiative. Involved schools collaborate with in-state farmers to have access to over...