State launches localvore initiative
by Lindsay Barnes
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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced yesterday that they are launching a program called “Farm-to-School” in order to put locally grown fruits and veggies into public school cafeterias. While the press release cites the program’s impetus to be attacking childhood obesity, many have advocated eating local as a way to cut down on humanity’s “carbon footprint.” However, studies have begun to question the environmental benefits of the localvore movement.
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If the state really need to raise taxes to provide adequate transportation improvements according to Gov. Kaine, then why are they spending money on this program?
Doesn’t appear that this program requires any new funding. Are you suggesting that we should build roads at the expense of school lunches?
Buy food produced locally means less miles travelled on Virginia roads.
According to the link, the State has established a task force, web page needing periodic maintenance and “educational materials” to communicate with the State’s “public and private schools, universities and K-12″ to encourage them to match with a local farmer in order to purchase up to $6M in locally grown produce. Since most school districts buy in bulk and cooperate with the USDA for its surplus, of course it’s going to cost money. Also, part of the program is to fight obesity in children; that’s a blank check.