Maximizing the Value of School Nutrition and Supporting BIPOC Growers, Producers, and Workers

Farm-to-school procurement is the most common strategy that school districts use for “good food “in school meals; however relatively few Black, Indigenous, and People of Color growers and producers have access to farm-to-school contracts. In Wisconsin, 75% of school food authorities reported serving local food in the 2018-2019 school year. Tight budgets, federal procurement rules, market dynamics, and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic make it challenging for schools to fully engage in farm-to-school.

This research project will generate an understanding of the current landscape for participation in Wisconsin farm-to-school programs, including information on the number of BIPOC growers and producers, their operations, and their partnerships with school districts. The project will identify opportunities and needs of BIPOC growers and producers to participate in farm-to-school, analyze the labor conditions of foodservice staff, identify strategies for fair and equitable employment in school foodservice, and prepare a set of actionable recommendations for advancing equity in Wisconsin farm-to-school programs and school nutrition staffing.

Principal Investigator

Jennifer Gaddis, Associate Professor, Civil Society and Community Studies

Co-Principal Investigators

Jess Guffey Calkins, Extension Dane County Community Food Systems Educator

Lindsey Day Farnsworth, Extension Community Food Systems Program Manager

Amy Washbush Hilgendorf, Associate Director, Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies

Vanessa Herald, Farm to Institution Outreach Program Manager, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems