DPI Resource Sources Locally-Grown Products From Farmers to Schools

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s AmeriCorps Farm to School team has created an innovative resource for districts and schools to source locally-grown products from farmers and producers.

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic creating tremendous supply chain disruptions, schools and districts around Wisconsin may have experienced food shortages for their school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs. Fresh produce items, milk, whole grain-rich products, and center of the plate favorites, like chicken nuggets, are in short supply due to labor shortages and recent natural disasters. Because of this, school nutrition professionals pivot daily based on what they receive from their suppliers.

 

In light of these recent challenges, the DPI’s School Nutrition team encourages sourcing food from local producers as a way to address supply issues while also supporting local communities. Districts and schools can purchase fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and grains from local producers. Extra fresh produce items can be purchased now, when in-season, and then frozen for usage throughout the winter months.

 

Local food producers and supply companies are also pivoting to meet the needs of customers and can partner with districts and schools to provide food sourcing solutions. Partnering with local food suppliers provides a closer connection with quicker communication and distribution chains. Stewarded well, this relationship-based procurement can create stronger commitments, reliability, consistency, quality of product and services; bringing more value in doing business together for both school food service staff and farmers/supply chain partners.

 

To support schools in connecting with local farmers and producers, the DPI’s AmeriCorps Farm to School team created the Wisconsin Local Foods Database. Local producers willing to sell to schools are listed on a map so school and district personnel can locate producers near them.

 

“I found that the farmers listed in the database were more willing to connect with us as they had the ‘head’s up’ that schools might reach out,” Sarah Tomasiewicz, school nutrition director for the Oregon School District, said.

 

The database also includes a spreadsheet of which food items each producer has available for schools to purchase. Not only that, but schools can include themselves on a separate list, showing what they are looking to purchase locally and then be contacted by producers who can meet their needs.

 

So far, Tomasiewicz said she has made connections with both Raleigh’s Hillside and Winterfell Acres by using the local foods database. She purchased from both producers over the summer and has continued to make purchases from them when possible. Not only that, but with a nationwide meat shortage, the district also purchased local beef from Greenfield Farm.

 

For more information on navigating the database or learning how to participate, contact AmeriCorps Farm to School Program Director Kara Ignasiak at kara.ignasiak@dpi.wi.gov. If you are currently dealing with supply chain issues, please contact the DPI’s School Nutrition team via email at dpifns@dpi.wi.gov. For technical assistance for working with producers and new supply chain partners, email April Yancer at april.yancer@wisconsin.gov.