ABOUT THE Survey Introduction The USDA defines farm to school ( F2S ) as efforts that bring local or regionally produced foods into school cafeterias; hands-on learning activities such as school gardening, farm visits and culinary classes; and the integration of food-related education into the regular, standardsbased classroom curriculum. Bolstering farm to school across the country has proven to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among children, expand market opportunities for local farmers and producers, and stimulate local economies. 1 The Louisiana Senate passed Concurrent Resolution 94 ( SCR94 ) during the 2014 Legislative Session. SCR94 directed the Louisiana Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry ( LDAF ) and the superintendent of the Louisiana Department of Education ( LDOE ) to develop a cooperative study group to assess current barriers and existing resources for a statewide Louisiana F2S program. SCR94 also instructed the study group to implement a statewide F2S program to assist schools with local procurement options for produce, meats, and seafood. Finally, SCR94 mandated that the study group also convene F2S stakeholders for input on Louisiana s current F2S efforts, which was done in Alexandria on September 18, 2014. No later than February 1, 2015, the study group must report its findings to the legislature and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education ( BESE ). The Louisiana Farm to School Alliance was formed in January 2014 to share resources and support amongst Louisiana Farm to School initiatives, and to build dialogue for statewide programming. Alliance members actively supported the passage of SCR94 while it was pending in the Senate. After SCR 94 s passage, Alliance members from around the state also traveled to Alexandria for the stakeholders input session. Following the convening in Alexandria, various members of the Alliance expressed frustration about the limited time available for public comment. During the October 2014 Alliance phone call, Alliance members then decided to implement a survey in order to gather additional information to present to the study group as it developed its report for the Senate. The Alliance formed a taskforce to implement a statewide farm to school stakeholder input survey (the Stakeholder Survey). With no budget, the taskforce was able to gather information from stakeholders in twenty-nine parishes, representing every region in Louisiana. Survey Design Three separate Stakeholder Surveys targeting three audiences: Child Nutrition Directors, Support Groups and Farmers/Producers; were created and disseminated by the Louisiana Farm to School Alliance. Survey questions were reviewed by members of the SCR94 study group for feedback prior to data collection. 1 See United States Department of Agriculture, Farm to School, http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school (last visited Dec. 24, 2014).
The Stakeholder Survey prioritized gathering data germane to the five objectives listed in SCR94 with documentation of additional farm to school activities as a secondary objective. (e.g., the prevalence of school gardens, promotional activities, and curriculum integration, etc.) Copies of the three Stakeholder Surveys are attached to this report. Data Collection Process Online website links to the Stakeholder Surveys were disseminated to school food service directors, support groups and farmers and/or producers in November 2014. Requests to complete the Stakeholder Surveys came primarily from Louisiana Farm to School Alliance members. In some instances, additional requests and encouragement to participate came from interested thirdparties. In general, food service directors, support groups and farmers received up to three reminder emails to complete their respective Stakeholder Survey over the course of four weeks in November and December. Data collection was closed mid-december. Responses were collected electronically via Survey Monkey. Additionally, stakeholders had the option of completing a hard-copy, mail back version. Participation in Stakeholder Surveys was voluntary and stakeholders were informed that their responses would be used to gather information to present to the study group established in SCR94. The Louisiana Farm to School Alliance task force developed, implemented, and analyzed the three targeted SCR94 Stakeholder Surveys. A practicum student from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine studying farm to school in Louisiana was responsible for electronically formatting survey questions and disseminating electronic links to target survey populations. The survey was distributed to a total of 282 stakeholders. Of those stakeholders, 44 school districts, 22 support groups, and 12 farmers/producers completed usable responses for a total response rate of 28 percent. There was a thirty percent response rate from the school districts that received the survey. Results Below are some highlights from the stakeholder survey. The full list of survey questions and responses are attached at the end of this report. Objective 1: Statewide Inventory of farms SCR94 s first objective is to conduct a thorough inventory of small and large farmers and crops across the state. Over 60% of the child nutrition directors and support organizations believe that their farm to school efforts would be assisted by a public state wide inventory of small and large farms interested in participating in F2S. Of the 44 Child Nutrition Director Stakeholder Survey respondents who participated in this survey, 64% responded yes when asked in your opinion, would a public state wide inventory of small and large farms interested in participating in farm to school activities be useful for your school district? Interestingly, 85% of the Child Nutrition Director Stakeholder Survey respondents indicated they do not purchase directly from Louisiana farms or farmers.
Objective 2: Farm to School Standards and Guidelines Objective two of SCR94 directed the study group to develop specific farm to school standards and guidelines for farmers and schools. Seventy-one percent of Farmers and/or Producer Stakeholder respondents indicated that guidelines on forward contracting with school districts, school food safety and liability insurance requirements would assist them in doing business with schools and school districts. Forty-six percent of Child Nutrition Director Stakeholder respondents reported having an interest working with local farmers in the off season so that producers could specifically grow crops for
their schools. Over 61 percent of Child Nutrition Director Stakeholder respondents reported having no set of questions or other requirements regarding food safety that they ask of potential vendors. Of the child nutrition director survey participants that answered do you require your vendors to have product liability insurance, and if so, what amount? 46 percent do not require product liability insurance 33 percent reported that they require up to $1million in coverage 13 percent reported that they require up to $2 million in coverage 6 percent reported requiring up to $5 million coverage Of the Support Group Stakeholder respondents, that answered does your organization work with schools trying to purchase food grown and/or produced in Louisiana? 60 percent reported no 25 percent reported they do not know 15 percent reported yes Of those respondents, 40 percent said they have to follow standards for farm to school programs, with Local School Board, Louisiana State Regulations, and Internal Policy being the most frequently selected categories for where the standards originated. In the last year, 84 percent of support group stakeholder respondents who provided information about their farm to school activities have provided education about Louisiana food and agriculture, 68 percent have shared information and local food with families and the community and 63 percent have planted a school garden. Fifteen percent of support group stakeholder
respondents report working with schools trying to purchase food grown and/or produced in Louisiana. Objective 3: Insurance Discounts Objective 3 of SCR94 asks the study group to develop a plan to provide discounts to small farmers for insurance requirements that will enable them to participate in a farm to school programs. Of the farmer/producer stakeholder respondents, most did not carry product liability insurance. The majority of farmers also said they would benefit from a state sponsored incentive program that could assist them with the price of insurance. None of the surveyed farmers were GAP ( Good Agriculture Practice ) certified, and about 88 percent of them would consider GAP certification if a state discount program existed. Similarly, 65 percent of the support organizations surveyed said that their organization would benefit from a state-sponsored incentive program that assisted with the price of insurance for Louisiana farmers who participate in F2S programming. Interestingly, about 30 percent of the child nutrition directors indicated that they do not require their vendors to carry product liability insurance. Vendors must carry at least $1 million in coverage for about twenty-two percent of directors. Less than 15 percent of the child-nutrition directors surveyed indicated that their schools require at least $5 million in liability coverage. Objective 4: Processing SCR94 s fourth objective instructs the study group to develop a plan to increase the number of processing sites that prepare and package food. 62 percent of the support groups surveyed believe that Louisiana needs more sites that prepare and package Louisiana grown food. A third of the farmers surveyed did not know if the state needed more food producing sites. Almost seventy-five percent of the child nutrition directors indicated that they do not purchase food from processing sites that prepare and package Louisiana grown food. Fifty-three percent of the CND s responded that Louisiana needs more sites that prepare and package food produced within the state. Objective 5: Food Preparation on Site Objective five asks the study group to develop a plan to ensure that schools have proper equipment to prepare food onsite. Of the 44 school districts that participated in the survey, 35 answered the questions about their school district s kitchen infrastructure as it relates to processing foods on site. Five of 35 respondents reported that their school district operates a central kitchen. Of those school districts currently operating a central kitchen, only one of five purchase food from processing sites that prepare and package food in Louisiana, three of five currently process fresh fruits and vegetables (this may include cleaning, washing, cutting or portioning from 'As Purchased' to Edible Portions ) and four of five indicated their central kitchen has the capacity to process (as defined
previously) fresh fruits and vegetables. Three of five school districts with central kitchens also report having individual school site kitchens currently processing fresh fruits and vegetables. Of the remaining 30 respondents who provided answers specific to their school site kitchens and processing capabilities, 60 percent (16 of 30) report they are currently processing fresh fruits and vegetables onsite and 62 percent (17 of 30) said that their individual school site kitchens have the capacity to process fresh fruits and vegetables. More than half of the respondents answered that Louisiana needs more sites that prepare and package food from our state. When asked about cooler or refrigerator capacity for storing fresh produce, 59 percent of survey respondents (26 of 44) provided answers. Of those, the most frequently used adjectives were: Limited (26 percent), adequate, (15 percent) and minimal (seven percent). Conclusion The Alliance s survey taskforce believes that this survey data presents important information for the SCR94 study group to consider when developing future pathways for Louisiana F2S programming. First, only twelve farmers participated in its stakeholder survey. This low number reflects a significant disconnect between the farming community in Louisiana and consumers looking for local agricultural products for Louisiana s schools. As well, many schools districts surveyed do not buy directly from Louisiana farmers, but indicated they would if Louisiana farmers could meet their needs. More then anything, this survey s results highlight the need for a public state-wide inventory of farms interested and willing to participate in F2S programming. Developing such information for the public will facilitate grass-roots farm to school efforts around the state. Qualitative data collected in this survey also reveals that many school districts have the capacity to process fresh produce and are open to and capable of working with farmers who can provide these local products. Qualitative data also indicates that many support organizations and some school districts are misinformed about the various food safety requirements and perceived barriers to implementing farm to school programming. For instance, some support groups indicated that food grown in school gardens cannot be served in school meals, despite there being no existing state or federal regulation banning such a practice. Out of this grass-roots effort, the Alliance s task-force hopes that the data gathered will expand the public input given to SCR94 s study group, and inform study group s decisions and eventual recommendations to the Senate.