South Carolina schools embracing farm-to-table effort, USDA official says

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Money from the U.S. Agriculture Department is being used to ensure healthy lunches are available to children in South Carolina schools.

Nearly 30 million kids eat school lunches each day across the U.S., and the USDA’s funding of the farm-to-table program helps educate children about local food and agriculture while also providing healthier school lunches.

“This is something that South Carolina has embraced,” USDA spokesperson Cindy Long said. “We’ve provided over $3 million in that state alone specifically to support the purchase of local foods, and of course that’s on top of any local purchasing that was already happening.”

Long said the USDA has provided more than $78 million to schools to purchase local foods.

“One of the things we’re really focusing on now is bringing in local fresh foods to schools and really strengthening the ties between school meal programs and local producers and growers,” Long said.

Long said it’s important that students look forward to their meals.

“The progress that has been made, and it’s continuing, is nothing short of amazing,” she said. “I have seen kids crowd around a salad bar and be really excited about piling on their favorite fruits or vegetables.”

Long said the program supports healthy eating habits, along with local farmers and producers. Parents and community members are also an important part of improving school meals.

“Parents are supportive of healthy school meals,” Long said. “Every parent wants what’s best for their kids, and people know instinctively that eating well is important to perform well in school that day. You can’t perform when you’re hungry.”

Long said the USDA has many resources for schools to purchase and obtain more local foods.

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Hannah Huffstickler is a multimedia journalist at News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2024 after graduating from Coastal Carolina University in December of 2023. Keep up with Hannah on Facebook , X, formerly Twitter , and Instagram . You can also read more of her work here .

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