Food System Economic Partnership

Purpose

Create and implement special projects that demonstrate the potential of FSEP's mission and stimulate significant change and community impact. The first demonstration project is a Farm to School program. The specific purpose of the Farm to School Program is to increase the amount of local farm foods in schools and improve the health and education of children and their families regarding the food system.

Objectives

1. Facilitate the establishment of a viable farm to school program in pilot school districts or schools in SE MI.
2. Work collaboratively to bring together school officials, food service directors, contracted food service vendors, distributors, processors, and producers to establish creative mutually beneficial relationships that result in locally produced and processed food being eaten by students in our schools. 
3. Help maintain and facilitate these relationships through the implementation period.
4. Evaluate the results of the pilot project.  Based on what was learned, develop materials for use by other schools districts that would enable them to establish successful farm-to-school programs.
5. Reach out to and partner with other organizations with specific and needed expertise, relationships, and knowledge.

For more information contact the FSEP Farm to School Project Coordinator, Ruth Blackburn at (734) 222-3817.