Farm to School is a national movement of programs that promote and serve locally grown and produced foods in school cafeterias. Galesburg CUSD #205 is participating in the Local Food for School Program funded through the USDA.
The program, which the district began participating in at the beginning of the 2023 school year, allows the purchasing of food within a 400-mile radius and emphasizes purchasing food from historically underserved producers and processors.
At the beginning of the current school year, CUSD #205 established a relationship with a local grower, Spurgeon Gardens. As the season began to change, the district expanded to purchasing protein items from several local farms. These farms included Sumner Point Beef in Warren County, Circle S Farm in Mercer County, and England Family Farms in Oneida.
According to Food Service Director, Matt Davis, "The items we purchase from local growers are currently featured in menu items at Galesburg Senior High School. It is our intent that if the funding for the program continues, we will expand the menu items to each school in the district." Featured items include select produce on the salad bar and they also have local beef used in lasagna and casseroles.
According to Davis, "Sourcing food items from the local region is an exciting first step in creating a resilient local food chain." The district looks forward to supporting local businesses in this endeavor and providing students with locally grown fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
