Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black is pleased to announce the latest schools selected to participate in Georgia Grown’s farm to school programs, including the Feed My School for a Week program, the Georgia Grown Test Kitchen program and schools receiving System of Distinction awards.
Commissioner Black believes that the schools selected are the driving force of Georgia’s farm to school movement and are the key to successfully achieving Georgia’s 20/20 Vision for School Nutrition. This program, which aims to have at least 20 percent of every meal in Georgia public schools be comprised of Georgia products by the start of the 2020 school year, is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Department of Public Health.
“Through these farm to school programs we can change the purchasing habits of a generation from the time they enter our school systems,” Commissioner Black said. “We look forward to strengthening our relationships with our participating school systems as we strive to successfully reach our goal set forth by the 20/20 Vision for School Nutrition in Georgia.”
First launched in 2011, the Georgia Grown Feed My School for a Week program is growing to include 34 schools throughout Georgia this year.
The 2018 additions are:
- Cherokee Elementary, Polk County Schools
- Eastside Elementary, Polk County Schools
- Parkside Elementary, Atlanta Public Schools
- Springfield Elementary, Effingham County Schools
Celebrating its fifth year, the Georgia Grown Test Kitchen program is an initiative that promotes local and healthy eating in schools across the state by supplying school nutrition directors with healthy recipes using Georgia Grown commodities.
The 2018 additions are:
- Baldwin High School, Baldwin County Schools
- Commerce Middle School, Commerce City Schools
- Horne Learning Center, Valdosta City Schools
- West Laurens High School, Laurens County Schools
The Georgia Grown System of Distinction Award is an honor designed to recognize the nutrition directors and their schools for their leadership in developing superior farm to school programs on the state and national level. These awards are being presented for the third consecutive year.
The 2018 System of Distinction award winners are:
- Burke County Schools
- Fulton County Schools
- Laurens County Schools
The Georgia Grown Test Kitchen and the Feed My School for a Week program help to bridge the gap in the nutritional value and quality of food served in Georgia schools. The System of Distinction awards identify those systems that have excelled in implementing efforts that have led to further development of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s multiple farm to school programs.
For more information about the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s farm to school programs, please visit feedmyschool.org.