The USDA is increasing its efforts to educate students about where their food comes from through the agency’s Farm to School educational program. USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan says educating youth is the first step to educating the public.
“Bringing it all together at that young age, so kids understand that food really doesn’t come from a grocery store, there is this connection to rural America that at a very young age is strong and that will then when they grow up will make a difference to them as voters and make a difference to where they decide to settle families,” said Merrigan.
The program is designed to teach students about the path from farm to fork and to instill healthy eating habits. The use of local food also provides a direct market for farmers. Merrigan says it’s about bringing the farm to schools and the schools to the farm.
“We’re trying to get farm fresh produce in local areas into local schools,” said Merrigan. “We also have a program where we are looking at school gardens, garden based learning, bringing the school to the farm so to speak because we do see this profound disconnect between American consumers and the people who are growing and raising their food.”
The Farm to School program has nearly nine-thousand K-12 partners in 44 states.
Brownfield interviewed Merrigan at and after the National Rural Summit in Hillsboro, Missouri.
Julie Harker contributed to this story
AUDIO: USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan (4 min. MP3)
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