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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Anupama Joshi, MS, Center for Food & Justice, UEPI, Occidental College, National Farm to School Program, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041, 323 341 5095, ajoshi@oxy.edu, Gail Feenstra, EdD, RD, University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, and Kelly Erwin, BA, Massachusetts Farm-to-School Project, 16 Applewood Lane, Amherst, MA 01002.

Farm to School programs are operational in more than 400 school districts across the country. They have emerged as models for collaborative partnerships between multiple sectors of the community – schools, farmers, parents, gardeners, and teachers, to prevent childhood obesity. Farm to School programs connect schools with local farms to serve farm fresh, healthy products in the cafeteria, and facilitate education about healthy eating, local agriculture and the environment through activities such as school gardens, waste management and recycling, farm visits, cooking demonstrations and classroom-based nutrition education. The design and implementation of each farm to school program is unique due to the multiple factors and stakeholders involved, yet, several successful models have been explored and documented. This session will highlight results of several years of research documenting farm to school projects, with a focus on specific outcomes such as: (1) increase in fruit and vegetable consumption by students; (2) increase in school meal participation rates; and (3) financial viability of school food service operating farm to school programs. We will also discuss several methods for collecting data on fresh produce consumption in the school meals program as an indicator of student nutritional health. Finally, we will highlight policy recommendations that incorporate Farm to School strategies in support of childhood obesity prevention programs.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to

• Describe at least two farm to school models and collaborative strategies used by communities in various parts of the country. 2.Understand the key impacts and evaluation results of farm to school programs as they relate to preventing childhood obesity. 3.List various methodologies for measuring students' fruit and vegetable consumption as an indicator of nutritional health in the school environment. 4.Describe at least two policy recommendations that support farm to school programs.

Keywords: School-Based Programs, Obesity

Related Web page: www.farmtoschool.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation