This document summarizes research on farm to institution programs. It finds that these programs can have positive impacts on students, teachers, food services, farmers, parents, policies, communities, and colleges. Future research priorities include establishing baselines, creating common tools and templates, and further examining impacts on students' health and academics, economics, schools, farms, and local food systems.
Research Short Course: Farm to Institution: Current Status, Opportunities and Resources
1. Farm to Institution Research: Current Status, Opportunities and Resources Anupama Joshi National Farm to School Network Center for Food & Justice, UEPI, Occidental College May 17, 2010
2. Farm to School Literature Review “Bearing Fruit” http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/cfj/bearingfruit.htm
4. Increase in Fruit and Vegetable Consumption by Students Avg. fruit and vegetable servings/day Los Angeles Unified School District Slusser WM, Cumberland WG, Browdy BL, Lange L, Neumann C. A school salad bar increases frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among children living in low-income households. Public Health Nutrition. Published online 5 July 2007.
10. ParentImpacts Increase in knowledge, attitudes awareness Changes in behavior? household shopping patterns Lifestyle changes Family health outcomes Need to document - long term benefits of Farm to School reaching families
11. Policy Impacts Federal – State – District / Institutional – Local city / county Programs affecting policy development Policy affecting program development and institutionalization
18. Future Research Priorities Baseline Creating common templates, tools, systems Using existing national tools – USDA Food Environment Atlas, CDC- SHPPS Students Health Academic links Economics School Farm Local / Regional