Livingston Manor Central School District’s Farm to School program was featured in a statewide Cornell Farm to School newsletter earlier this week.
The newsletter celebrated five years of the 30% NY Initiative. Schools qualify for the program by sourcing at least 30% of their food purchases in New York state. The LMCS program was certified last year and was highlighted in the newsletter as being the first school to qualify without using fluid milk purchases. Livingston Manor's New York state purchases were about 47% meat, 25% grains, 16% vegetables, 8% other dairy, 4% eggs and less than 1% fruit.
“The Farm to School Program has enhanced our school lunch program by bringing fresh local products to our students. It has allowed us to flash freeze locally sourced produce to be utilized throughout the school year in the meals served to students, and has allowed us to make all our bread in house and serve to students eating sandwiches and rolls through the National School Lunch Program,” LMCS Food Service Director Stephen Rogers said in the newsletter. “Student participation has greatly improved in our lunch program as more students are enticed by the fresh products that they are being served on a daily basis. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to bring meals to the students of Livingston Manor that are locally sourced, of higher quality and scratch made.”
For more information on the 30% NY Initiative, visit https://agriculture.ny.gov/30-percent-initiative