March 5, 2010

Healthier Kids, More Successful State Farmers:
A Healthy Economic Partnership

Markell Unveils Farm-to-Schools and Farm-to-Facilities Agreement

In one of his major policy initiatives to simultaneously promote healthy eating and help Delaware agriculture, Governor Jack Markell formalized a partnership among three agencies to connect Delaware farmers and its agricultural industry to Delaware schools and facilities.Three agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement: the Delaware Department of Agriculture, Department of Education and Department of Health and Social Services, confirmed a partnership to encourage healthy eating, healthy lifestyles, health education, consumption of local food products, and nutrition education.  The agreement will also lead to the establishment of school gardens and improve the nutritional value of food products consumed in public schools and facilities.

By incorporating locally grown food into purchasing, Delaware can connect the agriculture industry to 123,000 children that attend Delaware’s public schools.  That’s 22 million meals served over the 180-day school year.  Thirty-six percent of children and youth in Delaware are either overweight or at risk of being overweight.

By connecting the agricultural community to the state’s largest agency, DHSS, agriculture connects to residents of four long-term care facilities, the Delaware Psychiatric Center and other food programs and services.

“This is one of those win-wins we are always striving for: creating business opportunities for our farm community while making it easier for kids in our schools and persons in our public facilities and food programs to access locally grown and healthy foods,” said Markell. “My administration is focused on finding ways to help our industries thrive, keep people employed and employ even more Delawareans.”

Delaware has 2500 farmers and 200-300 of them are in the vegetable and fruit business.   Partnership opportunities exist in fresh, frozen, canned, and pickled products.

“I am more than pleased with today’s signing.  Our children will benefit and our farmers will benefit,” said Delaware Agriculture Secretary Ed Kee.  “I look at this as the first step.  We want to extend the program to all of our state facilities.  I also plan to work with our vegetable processors such as Vlasic, Pictsweet, Hanover, and the poultry processors to have them become part of the program in the future.”

I'm happy to sign on to this agreement," said Rita M. Landgraf, Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. "Not only will it serve to help keep Delaware's school children healthy and have economic benefits to some of our social services programs, but it provides yet another opportunity to work with other state agencies as well as the private sector to better serve Delawareans."

"Nutritious foods in our public school lunch program can contribute to healthy eating patterns among children. Healthier children make better learners,” said Lillian Lowery, Delaware Secretary of Education. “A wholesome diet can improve student performance, attendance and behavior and many healthy foods are right here in Delaware's backyard."