National Farm To School Month
NAPA COUNTY FARM BUREAU CELEBRATES NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH
Napa, CA—The Napa County Farm Bureau is proud to recognize and celebrate National Farm To School Month. October is National Farm to School Month, a congressionally designated campaign to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the connections happening across the country between kids, families and their community food systems.
In 2010, Congress declared October National Farm to School Month, recognizing the important role farm to school plays in promoting well-being among children and strong local economies.
“One of the central objectives of the Napa County Farm Bureau Foundation is to take a leadership role in educating Napa County’s youth about the important role that agriculture plays in their lives”, said Ryan Klobas, Chief Executive Officer of the Napa County Farm Bureau and Napa County Farm Bureau Foundation. “Celebrating National Farm To School Month is a great way to educate students about all the facets of agriculture and how it is woven not only into their daily lives, but also into their local economies.”
Over the past decade, the farm to school movement has expanded across the United States, reaching millions of students in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and U.S. Territories. From school gardens and farm field trips to local food on cafeteria trays, farm to school practices help children learn about where food comes from and make healthier choices while also creating new markets for local and regional farmers.
“Farm to school is an important tool in the fight against childhood obesity and food insecurity,” said Helen Dombalis, Executive Director of the National Farm to School Network. “There are important economic benefits, as well. In the most recent USDA Farm to School Census, schools reported purchasing nearly $800 million in local food from farmers, ranchers, fishermen and food processors in their communities.”
For more information about farm to school in California, contact the Napa County Farm Bureau at (707) 224-5403. Learn more about the farm to school movement at farmtoschool.org.
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