Farm-to-School Programs in Minnesota

School District	Program Description
Morris	Link to Profile
Pine Point	Link to Profile
Riverway Charter School	Link to Profile
St. Paul	Link to Profile
Wayzata	Link to Profile
Willmar	Link to Profile
Winona	Link to Profile

Survey of Food Service Directors in Minnesota

The Minnesota School Nutrition Association and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy collaborated to survey school food service directors to find out their attitudes and experiences around farm to school programs. The survey found that most school food service directors are interested in farm to school programs, but lack of time to explore options or implement new strategies can be an overwhelming obstacle to a food service director who is already under enormous time and budget constraints.

Complete Results of the Survey

The Willmar Model

Willmar, MN

Willmar is a city of approximately 19,000 residents and has the third largest Hispanic/Latino population in Minnesota. In the five schools in the Willmar School district, more than 50 percent of the students participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program compared to an average of approximately 35 percent of the student population statewide. In addition, 33 percent of the students in the Willmar Public School system are minorities. Risk of chronic diseases related to poor nutrition and physical activity are typically higher for minorities.

Why Farm-to-School?

The Willmar farm to school pilot project was launched in response to a student population particularly at risk for poor nutrition. Community groups and school staff worked together to:

• provide nutrition education



• offer healthy, locally-grown menu items to promote healthy food choices;



• support the local farm economy.

Community partners involved in this effort:

• Willmar Public Schools Department of Food and Nutrition Services



• Kandiyohi Public Health--Steps to A Healthier Willmar



• University of Minnesota West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership

The Approach

Willmar's Farm to School team found that the best approach for them was to first offer a local food item as a sample or taste test in one or two schools.

If students like the item, it is then added to the school or district menu later that school year, or even the following year.

This gives the foodservice director and cooks a chance to make a connection with a local farmer and to determine the best way to purchase and use the product within the school foodservice menu.

The Willmar program started slowly. In Year One, only apples were offered for both taste testing and on the menu. Squash and wild rice were offered for taste testing only.

In Year Two, the apples and wild rice made it onto the menu and new items were added for taste testing.

Local foods now appear in cafeteria meals about once per month. Some of the items now featured in Willmar school menus include locally grown apples, tomatoes, wild rice, whole wheat flour, wheat berries, garlic, bison, oatmeal, dried beans, potatoes, cabbage and cheese.

Within the school’s food service budget, the amount spent on local foods has increased each year over the past three years.

Willmar school foodservice staff have developed relationships with farmers. Successful planning for the farm-to-school program begins in the spring, as school staff discuss with area farmers what foods will be available for the following fall and winter.

Partners in the Project

The University of Minnesota West Central Regional Partnership supported Lynn Mader to work as a “forager" for the farm to school program. Her task was to identify farmers with ample supply of a food product, and connect the farmers to the Foodservice Director, Annette Derouin. Annette feels that Lynn’s work was crucial in getting the program started.

Steps to a Healthier Willmar, supported by a public health grant, has also been an important part of the program. They have incorporated nutrition information and messages into school newsletters and take-home recipes for parents, and also helped to connect with teachers. Farm to School has been incorporated into the school wellness policy.

The Farm to School program has sponsored summer daycare field trips to local farms and helped with a 5th grade field trip to a local bison farm. The Farm to School program at Willmar has helped the district build other student programs as well. Students involved in the Southwest Initiative Foundation YES (Youth Energy Summit) grew salad greens in a greenhouse, and these were then served in the school cafeteria.

Tools Developed

Practical experience with implementing the Farm to School program in the Willmar Public School System showed that continuing the success of the program requires:

• simple, institutional recipes for seasonal and local foods



• training for cooks in working with local, seasonal foods



• assistance for food service with sourcing and purchasing from local farms

Annette Hendrickx Derouin, the Director of Food and Nutrition Services at Willmar Public Schools, was instrumental in developing these tools for school foodservice staff.

Annette will work to coordinate Farm to School training throughout the state in her position as the Trainer Network Chair for the Minnesota School Nutrition Association.