What Does Farm to School Research Tell Us?

Making Fact-Based ClaimsAnupama Joshi

National Farm to School Network

4th National Farm to Cafeteria ConferencePortland, March 2009

Farm to School Impacts

•Students•Teachers•Parents

Student Knowledge

Increase in student knowledge about:– nutrition– health– local foods – source of foods– seasonality– sustainable agriculture– environment, eco-systems– gardening

Photo by Emily Hart Photography

The Kindergarten Initiative The Food Trust, PA

Fresh from the FarmSeven Generations Ahead, IL

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Corn

Soybe

ans

Carro

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Peppe

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Apples

Salad

Gre

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products

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pre-test

post-test

Correct responses (%) on knowledge about local foods grown in the region

Students - Positive Attitudes

I try to run everyday

I grab fruit juice instead of soda after playing outside with friends

I told my mom not to buy Coke

I stopped drinking root beer with high fructose corn syrup

Self-reported data from Lozano Elementary School, Spring 2006Fresh from the Farm, Seven Generations Ahead, IL

Students-Positive Attitudes

• Preference for farm to school lunch (Abernethy Elementary, OR : 44% of students interviewed)

• Willingness to try new foods (MI, VT) • Changes in perceptions about fast food (VT)

Student Dietary Behaviors

Student Dietary Behaviors

• Among salad bar programs, fruit & vegetable consumption increased from 25 to 84%

• Average school meal participation increased 9%

Los Angeles USD Pre-Post dietary behaviors

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4.5

1998, Pre-SaladBar Intervention

2000. Post SaladBar Intervention

MeanServingsp<0.001

Teacher Impacts

• Increased participation in school meals

(6 to 133 lunches per month, CA)

• Self reported improvement in diets (71% in VT program)

Teacher Impacts

Overall satisfaction with classroom education and learning activities

Parent Impacts – Chicago, IL • Increased awareness

about the need for kids to eat required amounts of fruits and vegetables (78%)

• Interest in modifying grocery shopping patterns and cooking at home to include healthier, local options

• Appreciate the importance of healthy diets and buying “locally” (97%)

Parent Impacts - Burlington, VT • Willingness to pay

more for school lunches made from local foods (45%)

• Belief that local foods curriculum will impacts childrens’ eating habits in the long run (97%)

• Self reported changes in diets (32%)

National Farm to School Network Research & Evaluation Efforts

• Four sites – – Springfield, OR– Riverside, CA– Saratoga Springs, NY – Lincoln County, ME

• School Lunch Recall (validated tool)• Evaluation Toolkit

Farm to School & School Garden Research Consortium

• Short Course on Research and Evaluation• Information sharing through website

www.farmtoschool.org • NING site http://datadorksunite.ning.com• Sharing tools and resources• Match-making researchers with projects• Research coordination function

Contact:Anupama JoshiNational Farm to School Network 323-341 5095ajoshi@oxy.eduwww.farmtoschool.org