NJDA, RUTGERS RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANT FOR FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954
(TRENTON) 鈥� The 樱花视频 Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with Rutgers Food Innovation Center in Bridgeton, has been awarded $51,215 to create new food items derived from 樱花视频 agricultural products for use in the National School Lunch Program.
United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the grant as part of more than $1.3 million in matching grants to 18 states, provided under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP).聽 These grants are focused on developing innovative ways to benefit our agricultural sector.
鈥淭his grant continues the Department鈥檚 efforts toward connecting our farmers with schools,鈥� said 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.聽 鈥淭he Department and Food Innovation Center will work together to take our farmers鈥� bounty, develop it into single-serving, innovative items, that meet the nutritional and cost requirements necessary to be utilized in school meals.聽 This project will address the important issue of child nutrition while also improving markets for locally produced agricultural products.鈥�
Portion-controlled products that might be developed include:聽 fresh-cut fruit snacks; fresh-cut vegetable snacks; and healthy beverages, soups, entrees and desserts, all using fruits and vegetables from 樱花视频 farms.
These products will be developed to: meet nutritional and portion control requirements; be tasty and appealing to the students; convenient for school cafeteria personnel; meet cost requirements for schools that also enable profitability by 樱花视频 farmers; to meet shelf life requirements that allow for distribution of these products derived from seasonally-harvested fruits and vegetables throughout the school year; and evaluate the potential suitability of value-added produce items for vending machine distribution in schools.
For the current fiscal year 2010, 樱花视频 received through the School Lunch Commodity Distribution Program $20 million in funds and 30 million pounds of surplus agricultural commodities for distribution to more than 700 participating school districts throughout the state.聽 A wide variety of foods were available, ranging from frozen beef and chicken, canned, dried and fresh fruits and vegetables and grain, oil and peanut products.
A significant market opportunity exists if the seasonal availability of 樱花视频 agricultural products to the school meal programs could be expanded.聽 Annually, more than 800,000 pounds of locally grown fruits and vegetables were distributed to schools under a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Defense.聽 Due to the September through June school year it would be difficult to expand upon those quantities.
The Department of Agriculture will work with Rutgers Food Innovation Center to implement the grant.聽 The project is expected to begin after October of this year and should be completed by the end of 2011.
