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Executive SummaryFarm to school programs, which link local farmers with schools, have increased innumber, from fewer than ten in 1997 to more than an estimated 2,000 programsin 2008. With this phenomenal increase, many in the farm to school movementare faced with the question: what are the specifi c impacts of the program? Fundingagencies, advocates and policy makers grapple with this question as they considerfarm to school programs as a model to improve school nutrition and farm profitability.While it may seem intuitive that linking students with local foods would lead to positiveoutcomes in student dietary intake and farm income, well-designed evaluations andresearch projects are needed to examine impacts on student health, dietary behaviors,school district policies, local farm profitability, and other aspects of the community atlarge.It can be diffi cult to plan farm to school evaluations given the variety of program componentsand goals. Farm to school programs inherently involve numerous stakeholdersand partners, and these different parties ask a diverse range of questions, which maybe too many to evaluate depending upon available resources and data. Food servicedirectors assessing the impacts of farm to school programs question financial viabilityissues as well as impacts on children’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regardinghealthy eating. For farmers, transportation and distribution issues are questions ofinterest. Health and nutrition professionals are concerned about fruit and vegetableconsumption as well as weight and /or BMI (body mass index) outcomes. With thefarm to school model being interpreted and implemented in a plethora of ways, it isdifficult to devise common evaluation indicators that are relevant to programs acrossthe spectrum. For this reason, generalizations based on results from a specifi c programevaluation may not be directly applicable to other programs.Definition of Farm to SchoolFor the purpose of this report, “farmto school” is broadly defi n ed as aschool-based program that connectsschools (K-12) and local farms with theobjectives of serving healthy meals inschool cafeterias, improving studentnutrition, providing agriculture, healthand nutrition education opportunities,and supporting local and regionalfarmers. The defi n ition of “local” or“regional” farms or food is flexible andvaries. Some interpret “local” accordingto political/geographic boundariesranging from a city to a state or aregion. Others suggest the ecoregionor bioregion size. i This lack of a commondefinition presents challenges forcomparing evaluation results.i “Local food,” Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_food#_ref-0, accessed April 2008.Given the challenges of evaluating farm toschool programs, this report is intended asa resource guide for planning farm to schoolevaluations. Drawing upon tools and methodsthat have been used or have the potential tobe used for evaluating program impacts, thereport includes a compilation of existing farmto school evaluations, making comparisonswhere appropriate, and placing them in contextwhen possible. The aim of this comprehensivesummary of key evaluation results from farmto school projects is to facilitate the refi n e-ment of farm to school programs and theirassessments to maximize positive impacts onstudent diets, farm viability, school meal andsnack offerings, and educational programs.Farm to school programs purchase locally andfeature farm fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables,eggs, grains, honey, meat, and beanson their menus. Other programs may usethese products in the classroom for education,Executive Summarywww.farmtoschool.org 5
Executive Summaryincorporate nutrition-based curriculum, and provide students experiential learningopportunities through farm visits, gardening, and recycling programs. Th is relationshipwith area schools gives farmers access to a new market, as well as provides anopportunity to connect with the community and educate children about local food andsustainable agriculture. Most cafeteria components of farm to school programs focuson the lunch program with some programs including breakfast and snack programs.Studies reviewed in this report undertook interventions that integrated local purchasingof food products along with one or more of the farm to school components listedabove. The resources and reviews of farm to school evaluations presented in this reportare based on the information available to us in 2007. Additional data and resources onthe topic may have become available since then.Letter from a student at Davis Joint Unifi e d School District(DJUSD) to the School Board supporting the “Crunch Lunch”- the DJUSD Farm to School Salad Bar Program6 Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Evaluation Resources and Recommendations
Page 1 and 2: Bearing Fruit:Farm to School Progra
Page 3 and 4: BEARING FRUITFarm to School Program
Page 5: Table of ContentsAcknowledgements..
Page 10 and 11: I. Introduction to Farmto School Ev
Page 12 and 13: I. Introduction toFarm to School Ev
Page 14 and 15: Teacher ImpactsChanges in knowledge
Page 16 and 17: Previous Page: 3rd grade students f
Page 20 and 21: Resources and Tools for Measuring F
Page 22: Resources and Tools for Measuring F
Page 25 and 26: c) Farming and marketing operations
Page 27 and 28: ADD IMAGE HERE...ADD CAPTIONS FORBO
Page 29 and 30: Table 2: Program profiles and evalu
Page 31 and 32: Review of Farm to School Evaluation
Page 35 and 36: Comparative Research:Nutrition Educ
Page 37 and 38: Comparative Research: Nutrition Edu
Page 39 and 40: Comparative Research: Salad Bars an
Page 41 and 42: Students Report Changes in Eating B
Page 43 and 44: Teacher ImpactsReview of Farm to Sc
Page 45 and 46: Comparative Research: Verbal Prompt
Page 57 and 58:
Review of Farm to School Evaluation
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Previous page: Students pick lettuc
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Conclusions and Recommendations►
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EndnotesEndnotes1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.1
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Endnotes31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.
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Endnotes79.80.81.82.83.84.85.86.87.
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Previous page: A student from the K
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ASA-NC: APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGR
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BTV-VT: BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT,
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COM-CA: COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOLDISTR
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CSA-CA: CSA IN THE CLASSROOM PROGRA
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ESY-CA: THE EDIBLE SCHOOLYARD AT MA
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FTK-PA: FARM TO KINDERGARTEN INITIA
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LSB-CA: LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL
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MLS-MT: MISSOULA COUNTY FARM TO SCH
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RHM-CA: RIVERSIDE HARVEST OF THEMON
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SFP-NY: SCHOOL FOOD PLUS PROGRAM,NE
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VEN-CA: VENTURA UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST
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Notes
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NY Survey of K-12 Food Service Dire
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OK Survey of Institutional Food Ser
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Survey of K-12 Food Service Provide
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National Farm to School Web Survey
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K-12 Food Service Directors Needs A
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Survey of Fruit, Vegetable, and Nut
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Survey of Institutional Food Servic
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Survey of Institutional Food Servic
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Student Knowledge Survey (Page 1 of
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Outcome Expectations for Eating Fru
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Outcome Expectations for Eating Fru
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General Knowledge of Healthy Eating
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Student Dining Evaluation (Page 1 o
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Fresh From the Farm Student Survey
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Fresh From the Farm Student Survey
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Harvest of the Month Student Evalua
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Harvest of the Month Student Evalua
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Student Survey (Page 1 of 5)Farm to
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Self Efficacy Survey - Eating Fruit
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Diet History Questionnaire (Page 1
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Estimating Fruit & Vegetable Consum
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Food Recognition Form (Page 2 of 3)
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Kids Questionnaire (Page 1 of 1)Far
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Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Sur
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Teacher Focus Group Questions and G
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Sample School Wellness Policy (Page
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Sample School Wellness Policy (Page
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Sample State Policy (Page 1 of 3)HO
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Sample State Policy (Page 3 of 3)Fa
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Rethinking School Lunch Calculator
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Rethinking School Lunch Calculator
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Seasonal Use of Locally Grown Fruit
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Local Food Purchases Record (Page 1
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Classroom/School Waste Audit (Page
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Salad Bar Coordinator Interview (Pa
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Farmer Survey (Page 1 of 3)Name:Dat
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Farmer Survey (Page 3 of 3)PricingF
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Healthy City Parent Survey (Page 2
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Citizen Interview (Page 2 of 2)Farm
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Project Partner Interview (Page 1 o
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Volunteer Interview (Page 1 of 1)Fa
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Notes
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Notes
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The national farm to school communi
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