Obesity rates for kids have become a hot button educational issue in the USA, with childhood obesity tripling in the last three decades. The State of Georgia is among the worst in the nation with more than 37 percent of students overweight or obese. These children will likely grow up to become obese adults and while suffering from ailments including auto-immune disorders, diabetes, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, lost productivity and disability. And, as if the human tragedy wasn’t enough, such conditions also strain the state’s healthcare costs.
Almost 75 percent of all children who attend public schools in Georgia participate in the School Nutrition Program. What better way to combat childhood obesity, than to revolutionize the school lunch menu to make a difference where it counts the most.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is addressing the challenges associated with a school district offering healthy options – especially when it comes to providing fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables on cafeteria trays. The phrase “Farm-to-School” is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. when it comes to thinking about how to offer healthy, fresh produce options to students. Now the state Departments of Education and Agriculture are teaming up in a combined effort to assist each and every school district in facing the challenges associated with implementing a Farm-to-School initiative.
In the 2011-12 school year, a handful of schools across the state will be included in the GDA’s pilot program, “Feed My School for a Week.” Each participating school district will have one elementary school host the event and all school lunches served out of that school’s cafeteria will be composed of 75-100 percent of Georgia Grown food. In return, the participating school must be willing and able to host a fall semester planning meeting, which will be put on by the GDA, as well as a week in the school’s spring semester dedicated to putting on the event.
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