Oakland Unified School District Farm to School
Initiatives
Defining LOCAL in Oakland
Local In Oakland: The NumbersOakland Unified School District 86 Schools37,000 students enrolled 39,000 meals served per day71% free and reduced
Local Purchasing – ProduceMeal Program – 50-65% local depending on the season Harvest of the Month – 100% localProduce Markets – 75-85% local depending on the season Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program – 65-75% local depending on the season
New Farm to School Initiative: California Thursdays
Why CA Thursdays?• Freshly prepared meals• Boost for the local economy• Reduced carbon footprint
California Thursdays is:• Freshly prepared meals• Fresh CA crops• Local producers• Family farms• Professional Development• Innovative procurement
strategies• Marketing opportunities • Nutrition education
Chorizo and Greens
Kung Pao Chicken
CA Thursday 2013 Launch
CA Thursday 2013 Launch
Sourcing: Produce
• Local Produce• Defining “Small Scale”• Creative Procurement
October Boot Camp!
October Boot Camp!
October Boot Camp!
School Produce Markets
Program Overview
• 20 school sites across Oakland.• In all schools, more than 70% of Students
qualify for F/R Lunch.• Weekly markets open during after school
hours.• Open to parents, school staff, students, and
neighborhood residents.
Program Overview
• 20-60 varieties of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and honey sold at each market.• Affordable prices with low mark-up from
wholesale prices.• 75-100% Pesticide-Free or Certified Organic
produce, 75-85% local depending on the season.• Culturally familiar foods like tomatillos, collard
greens and Chinese broccoli & new items like kale, chard and butternut squash.
Oakland FRESH!
Oakland FRESH!
Successes
• Increased ACCESS to fresh, local, affordable produce.
• Schools as community centers.• Positive peer pressure = healthy eating at
school AND at home.• Supporting small family farms.
Successes
• Distributed 340,000 pounds of produce in neighborhoods surrounding 20 schools in East and West Oakland.
• Sold over $500,000 worth of produce last year.
• Gained the tireless and invaluable support of more than 200 community residents as Volunteers!
• Hired 35 community residents as Market Managers.
Oakland FRESH!
Our Farmers!
Challenges• Central distribution capacity.• Under-resourced school district.• Competing priorities of test scores and
teaching with market operations/outreach.
Challenges• Staffing structure imbalances: unpaid liaisons,
varying skill sets of managers, dependence on volunteer labor.• Training. • Cost/Pricing – Access vs. support of
sustainable agriculture.• Driving demand.