[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                OCTOBER IS NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH

  (Ms. PINGREE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, October is National Farm to School Month, 
and I want to talk today about the recent gains our schools have made 
in connecting students with local food.
  Across the country, the Farm to School movement has inspired over 
40,000 schools to spend more of their food dollars locally, to create 
healthier meal options, and to teach students about growing and 
preparing local food. These efforts have brought numerous benefits, 
like new markets for local agricultural producers, better nutrition for 
students, and less food being thrown away in the trash.
  I am proud that schools in my State of Maine have helped lead the 
way; but, like others, they encounter many challenges in replacing 
highly processed food with fresh ingredients.
  The USDA Farm to School grants have eased that transition for many 
schools by helping them make needed changes in procurement, facilities, 
and training. As we celebrate Farm to School efforts this month and 
look toward child nutrition reauthorization, I encourage my colleagues 
to support increased funding for this program so more communities can 
reap the benefits.

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