Bill Would Boost Better School Lunches in IL
Also, there's a Seed Swap Day for gardeners Saturday in Lake Forest
Bill Would Boost Better School Lunches in Illinois
Low-bid contracts may work to save taxpayers money on a number of government programs. But not when it comes to school food, because our children need high-quality, nutritious and tasty lunches that they will eat. And I was shocked to learn that Illinois is one of only two states in the nation — California is the other — that require schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to choose the lowest bidder when contracting for food programs.
A bill currently before the Illinois legislature, titled the Better School Lunches Act, would correct this by removing that lowest-bid requirement. Supporters believe this would incentivize school systems to choose vendors whose main focus is quality and service, and to purchase products from local farmers (boosting the farm-to-school movement).
Learn more about the bill in the following statement by Christine Johnson on behalf of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, which is advocating for the bill. Christine is co-owner of Wild Trillium Farm in Richmond, Illinois, is a leader in development of the Northern Illinois Young Farmers Coalition, and is a member of the Alliance’s Local Food Farmer Caucus.
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Hi All,
Does this situation sound familiar to you? Traci Barkley is a farmer and oversees the daily operations at Sola Gratia Farm in Urbana, IL for the past 8 years. The farm sprawls 15 acres in the heart of the city — just blocks away from an area school.
Traci is working with the Urbana School District to get her fresh produce onto the plates of school children just down the street, but current state bidding regulations make it difficult for the school to purchase her produce.
Unfortunately, the school cannot select a food service agency based on the quality of food they provide, their service, the use of local ingredients, or any other factors. By law, they must choose the lowest price bid, which often translates into the lowest quality food. An estimated 50% of schools in Illinois have food service agency contracts. Illinois and New York are the only two states in the nation with this antiquated requirement.
Better state bidding regulations would support thousands of school children, food workers, and farmers. Now is your chance to help!
You can help support farmers, food-workers, and school children across Illinois by asking your legislator to co-sponsor HB4813. Follow the link below prepared by Illinois Stewardship Alliance to bring your voice to legislature.
Please reach out if you have questions, and thanks for helping all farmers succeed!
Warmly,
Christine
Saturday: Seed Swap Day at Elewa Farm
Elawa Farm Foundation is hosting an inaugural Seed Swap Day this Saturday (March 5) at Elawa Farm — located at 1401 Middlefork Dr. in north suburban Lake Forest, Illinois. In this community event, experienced and new gardeners can gather to bring excess seeds, plant cuttings and gardening books to swap with one another, just in time for the growing season.
This free event offers the opportunity for attendees to cultivate a network of people interested in gardening and share seeds that support a more diverse and resilient local food supply.
Seed Swap Day will take place in the Hay Barn on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, click the button below.