Commissioner of Agriculture visits Windsor for school lunches

WINDSOR, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – The state commissioner of agriculture was in Windsor to taste test some foods grown in New York that are being used in school lunches.

Commissioner Richard Ball visited C. R. Weeks Elementary yesterday and announced that the Broome-Tioga Farm-to-School Program was awarded $100,000 of funding.

The program aims to connect small to mid-scale food producers with school districts, to increase the students’ access to healthy, local foods.

Ball says the program figuratively and literally plants seeds to inspire the next generation of farmers and agriculture.

“Celebrating the bounty of New York ag with our young people, who are getting to experience foods that have been grown right here in our own state, right here in our own community. This is about connecting the dots. I say that a lot, but it’s about connecting the dots between our farmers and our school children,” says Ball.

The commissioner took a tour of the school garden, where the students are growing veggies that are used in their lunches.

After the tour, students broke for lunch and were served a fresh kale salad that was grown right outside.

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