Farm to School

Congressman Al Lawson and CAFS students at the Farmer's Roundtable event.
Harambee Festival - Learning about insects.
Dr. Mbuya explaining the importance of water quality and the impacts of contamination.
Goat meat cooking demonstration conducted by Cooperative Extension.
CAFS Living Learning Students(LLC) students inspecting bee colonies.

FAMU Cooperative Extension Programs, in collaboration with the New North Florida Cooperative, has developed an effective model that both:

Allows for school districts to incorporate fresh, locally and regionally grown fruits and vegetables into school meal programs.
Addresses the specific needs and capabilities of small-scale farmers to cultivate schools as markets for agricultural products.

The collaborative program is participatory and involves group activities, farmer-to-farmer training, and "real farm" demonstration/pilot projects.

Training areas include: Alternative Enterprise Development, Alternative Production Practices, Marketing Strategies, Post-harvest Handling, Packaging, and Distribution Logistics.

Actual hands-on activities and pilot projects provide not only for enhanced knowledge and skill building, but also create real economic opportunities for enterprise diversification and market development.

Program activities have been conducted with rural and urban school districts serving over one million school children in:

Florida Alabama

Georgia MIssissippi

Arkansas Tennessee

Market trials, or pilots, and full-year deliveries have been conducted with such products as:

Leafy Greens (Collards, Turnips) Strawberries

Sweet Potatoes Blackberries

Green Beans Muscadine Grapes

Southern Peas and Beans Watermelon

Okra

Red Potatoes

Individual farmers and producers groups have been trained in: