Why farm to school?
Lack of access to nutritious, affordable food is a leading cause of both hunger and obesity in Central Illinois.
- Champaign County child food insecurity rate: 12.8-15% (Overall higher food insecurity rates than Cook County)
- Urbana School District (USD116)
- 57-88% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch
- All 9 schools qualify for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program
- Champaign School District (CUSD4)
- 3 of 18 schools qualify for CEP
Okay, but how can farm to school help?
Research shows that giving children access to healthy, local food and agricultural education opportunities can lead to:
Check out this USDA fact sheet that discusses these factors in more depth!
- Healthier homes, healthier communities, and a healthier climate:
- Local foods require less transportation, which means less fossil fuels are released into the surrounding atmosphere during their production.
- healthier and more enjoyable food:
- Local foods taste better! Long storage and transportation periods cause produce to lose nutrients and taste.
- a healthier local economy:
- Agricultural education opens up new career paths for local young people
- Food purchasing dollars remain within the local economy
Check out this USDA fact sheet that discusses these factors in more depth!
USDA Support
This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or Organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.
This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or Organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.
