Oregon Media Coverage

Kitzhaber, Bradbury wager friendly campaigns by John Sowell. NR Today. Published 11/22/2009.
If they didn't know better, the 215 people who attended Saturday evening's Flegel Victory Dinner might have thought John Kitzhaber and Bill Bradbury were working on the same campaign. Read the entire article.

National panel taps Lebanon teacher by Jennifer Moddy. Albany Democrat Herald. Published 10/24/2009.
Organizers of a national panel on environmental practices in school nutrition have tapped Lebanon's Pam Lessley as a participant. Lessley, the Lebanon Community School District's director of nutrition, will travel at the expense of the National Food Service Management Institute to Hattiesburg, Miss., this Monday. She will serve on a panel that is researching conservation practices to develop a survey for schools nationwide. She plans a presentation to the Lebanon School Board on the experience sometime after her return on Oct. 29. Read the entire article.

National panel taps Lebanon teacher by Jennifer Moddy. Albany Democrat Herald. Published 10/24/2009.
Organizers of a national panel on environmental practices in school nutrition have tapped Lebanon's Pam Lessley as a participant. Lessley, the Lebanon Community School District's director of nutrition, will travel at the expense of the National Foo Read the entire article.

School uses dinner as learning opportunity by Tarah Campi. Statesman Journal. Published 10/21/2009.
The line for dinner didn't let up for more than an hour earlier this month as students, parents and staffers celebrated the new school year at McKinley Elementary School with a meal together. It was the first big get-together after summer break, so there was lots to talk about. But at this gathering, most people were talking about the food â?? tomatoes, zucchini and other vegetables from Mount Angel growers; hormone-free herb-marinated chicken breast; and bushels of apples and pears delivered by the farmers who grew them. Read the entire article.

Downtown Throwdown Joins Local Food Events by Sarah Lemon. Mail Tribune. Published 10/15/2009.
As the season for food-centered events gears up, downtown Medford is emerging with a popular new tradition: the Downtown Throwdown. Regular participants in the Third Friday Art Walk are already familiar with the throwdown, which debuted in July. It?s the brainchild of Nora LaBrocca, a designer for Terra Firma Home and owner of the quasi-catering company Downtown Market Co. Incidentally, LaBrocca has earned top marks in all three previous throwdowns against the stiff competition of 38 Central, Elements Tapas Bar & Lounge, Jackson Creek Pizza Co. and Deli Down. Read the entire article.

New Documentary on Local Food Movement has an Oregon-Heavy Cast by Scott Learn. The Oregonian. Published 09/28/2009.
A new local-food documentary, "Ingredients," has a Portland-based producer and a set of stars that's a bit of a who's who in Oregon's locavore movement. The cast of the feature-length film, which debuted in Portland this weekend, includes farmers and chefs from Oregon to New York talking about the benefits and challenges of buying food from local producers. Read the entire article.

Challenges, successes for schools by Richard Devlin. West Linn Tidings. Published 09/24/2009.
The 2009-10 school year is under way and I would like to welcome all the students, teachers, and school employees back to school and hope everyone has a productive and rewarding year. The Legislature faced many challenges this session and the global economic downturn forced us to make significant cuts across state government. Read the entire article.

Many limbs of family tree help berry business grow by Clarice Keating. Catholic Sentinel. Published 09/23/2009.
Theirs is a sweet life. Harvests begin to slow down this time of year for the Unger family, farmers of Oregon strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and grapes. As the trees turn to autumn colors, farmers? markets ? 17 in all where Unger berries are represented ? carry the fruits of the family?s labor through early October. Farming is in the blood for this family. And like the tangled vines of the grapes they grow, the harvest season touches many different lines in their ancestral tree as well as within their community. Read the entire article.

USDA to America: "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" by Leslie Cole. The Oregonian. Published 09/16/2009.
Clearly there's a new sheriff in town in Washington, D.C. How else to explain USDA's new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, announced yesterday? Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and deputy secretary Kathleen Merrigan say their department intends to begin a national conversation to build stronger local and regional food systems across the country. Read the entire article.

Building a Bridge to Somewhere: Farm to School by CookingUpaStory.com. Eat Well Guide Blog. Published 09/13/2009.
With great excitement about the USDA?s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which rolled out this week, and particular joy over the White House farmers? market, which opens today, here is an inspirational video from our friends at Cooking Up a Story. This one is about a farmer who?s helping build his local economy while feeding local schoolchildren more nutritious food. Farm to School networks, like farmers? markets, are excellent methods by which we can rebuild our local economies and our local food distribution systems. Read the entire article.

Talk of lottery cuts worries local retailers by Alex Paul. Albany Democrat-Herald. Published 08/23/2009.
That $56 million could have ensured that every child in Oregon eligible for Head Start was able to enroll in a program last year. It also could have funded a Farm to School nutrition initiative for four years. Read the entire article.

New law puts locally produced foods on menu by Peter Korn. Sustainable Life. Published 08/13/2009.
The House Bill 2763 takes effect in January. The bill amends state purchasing requirements so that public agencies can favor locally produced foods. Public agencies can buy locally grown or produced food even if it is as much as 10 percent more expensive than food from outside. Read the entire article.

School Board adds member to food panel by Hannah Guzik. Ashland Daily Tidings. Published 08/13/2009.
The School Board has chosen the members for new Food Service Study Committee. Tracy Harding, the executive director of the Rogue Valley Farm to School program, is included in this new committee. The 11 committee members will be tasked with creating a food service program that is healthier and cheaper than the one the district uses now. Read the entire article.

School Board to appoint food panel members by Hannah Guzik. Ashland Daily Tidings. Published 08/08/2009.
At the 7 p.m. meeting in the City Council Chambers, the board will need to choose between seven people who have applied for the community member positions. Tracy Harding is one of them; she is the executive director of the Rogue Valley Farm to School program. Read the entire article.

2010: Brian Clem's listening tour heads to Southern Oregon by Kari Chisholm. Blue Oregon. Published 08/01/2009.
State Rep. Brian Clem (D-Salem)mentions Farm to School in a TV interview. Read the entire article.

School Lunch Brings Home the Bacon by David Richardson. Miller-McCune. Published 07/14/2009.
In 2005, Ecotrust partnered with Portland's Abernethy Elementary for a semester-long experiment in far-to-school. The challenge was to find a way to extend the farm-fresh approach beyond one model school. Ecotrust secured a $150,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente Community Fund for a first-of-its-kind district wide study of a local purchasing incentive to work in the Read the entire article.

Salem Democrat Clem to test race for governor by Peter Wong. Statesman Journal. Published 07/07/2009.
He championed farm-to-school programs ? although he failed to win funding to enable schools to buy Oregon produce and processed foods ? and better relations between agriculture and environmentalists. Read the entire article.

Summer Fruit Made Simple by Natalie Haughton. Pasadena Star-News. Published 06/30/2009.
Cory Schreiber the farm-to-school food coordinator with the Oregon Department of Agriculture has co-written the cookbook "Rustic Fruit Desserts", which features fresh, local, and seasonal recipes. Read the entire article.

Guest Column: Oregon students could benefit from Farm to School program by Deborah J. Kane. Daily Astorian. Published 06/22/2009.
Other states invest resources to supplement the national school lunch and breakfast program, but Oregon currently doesn't allocate any state funding to school meals. HB2800 will change that by strategically allocating lottery resources to schools so that they can purchase more Oregon grown, processed and manufactured foods for the lunchroom. Read the entire article.

Legislature should add fresh food to school lunches by Deborah J. Kane. Mail Tribune. Published 06/21/2009.
Other states invest resources to supplement the national school lunch and breakfast program, but Oregon currently doesn't allocate any state funding to school meals. HB 2800 will change that by strategically allocating lottery resources to schools so that they can purchase more Oregon- grown, -processed and -manufactured foods for the lunch room. Read the entire article.

Add fresh food to school lunches by Deborah J. Kane. The Stump on OregonLive.com. Published 06/18/2009.
Other states invest resources to supplement the national school lunch and breakfast program, but Oregon currently doesn't allocate any state funding to school meals. HB2800 will change that by strategically allocating lottery resources to schools so that they can purchase more Oregon grown, processed and manufactured foods for the lunchroom. Read the entire article.

Committee sends ODA budget to Oregon Senate floor by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 05/29/2009.
In the budget, ODA is proposing to preserve its farm-to-school coordinator position and a renewable energy position. Read the entire article.

Some ag bills move by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 05/28/2009.
Oregon Department of Agriculture's budget cleared its first and potentially biggest hurdle this week. The budget protects the department's farm-to-school and renewable energy program coordinators. Read the entire article.

Contact Your Legislators about Farm to School Bill by Mel Reader. The Oregon Center for Christian Values. Published 05/27/2009.
We all know that Oregon faces a tremendous budget deficit this year and that?s a big part of the reason we are working so hard to get the legislature to invest in the Farm to School and School Garden Program. This innovative program will add much-needed stimulus to the state?s economy and feed hungry kids, whose numbers are growing as the economy worsens. Read the entire article.

Backers laud benefits of farm-to-school bill by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 05/14/2009.
Farm-to-school backers brought out their big guns Tuesday, May 12, to testify in support of a bill backing local food purchases for school meals. At a hearing before a Ways and Means subcommittee, backers brought forward a true school-lunch expert - second-grader Zoe Kane. "I eat school lunch every day," Kane said, "so I am an expert in school lunch." Read the entire article.

Schools try local, fresher food by Stefanie Knowlton. Statesman Journal. Published 05/12/2009.
Workers at Happy Harvest Farm gathered heads of romaine lettuce and strawberries from the greenhouse about 8 a.m. By noon, the produce dotted trays at Gervais High School 6 miles away. Read the entire article.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Beard by Kim Carlson. Culinate. Published 05/05/2009.
Cory Schreiber, these days a farm-to-school administrator for the state of Oregon but also the chef who created Wildwood, appreciates Beard because ?he drew on his Pacific Northwest childhood as a key foundation that developed American cuisine through his writings and teachings.? Read the entire article.

Local food offers taste of the good old days by Karen Utley. Statesman Journal. Published 05/05/2009.
To make it easier for school lunch programs to connect with local economies, the Oregon Legislature in 2007 created the Farm to School program. More legislation, which would build on this program by allocating lottery money to schools to help them enrich their food programs with good locally grown food while supporting local economies, is under consideration. What a great idea! For the resulting better nutrition and stimulated economic growth cost? Seven cents per breakfast and 15 cents per lunch. Willamette Valley strawberries with Tillamook County cream on a school lunch tray? Priceless! Read the entire article.

3 candidates unopposed in ASD school board race. Daily Tidings. Published 05/02/2009.
Alexander, a writer and tutor, had previously decided not to run for reelection for position five, but she changed her mind after seeing that few locals were interested in running. During her tenure on the board, Alexander has been involved in the high school redesign process, second language committee and farm-to-school program. Read the entire article.

Farm to School: hands-on education about food. KMTR News. Published 04/24/2009.
Oregon's farm to school program working with 10 local farmers highlighted by local news. Read the entire article.

House committee sees farm to school bill as a priority. The Hillsboro Argus. Published 04/07/2009.
Read the entire article.

Oregon farmers' markets find a new customer: schools. Bend Weekly. Published 04/03/2009.
The farmers' market has proven to be a great place to find and purchase fresh, local food. For the same reason, it offers a connection between Oregon schools and local growers who can supply food that may eventually reach kids throughout the state. With the start of this year's farmers' market season, some school districts are looking to locate local food items this spring and the farms that produce them. Read the entire article.

Buy Locally, Eat At School by Dennis Newman. Natural Oregon. Published 04/02/2009.
With all the healthy food grown on Oregon farms, why doesn?t more of it go to feed Oregon school kids? After all, locally grown food is usually fresher, more nutritious, and farmers could use the extra business. Putting those two goals together is the idea behind House Bill 2800, which expands Oregon?s Farm-To-School program. The bill adds another $22 million into the pot of money schools can spend on lunch programs. That comes to about 15 cents a meal more for lunches, 7 cents more for a breakfast. Read the entire article.

Task force calls for a slimmer Oregon by Brad Cain. KVAL. Published 03/31/2009.
A state task force is calling for spending $3.5 million to restore daily physical education in Oregon schools to combat "alarming" rates of obesity. Read the entire article.

Study: Farm-to-school money boosts economy by Mateusz Perkowski. Capital Press. Published 03/26/2009.
An analysis by proponents of farm-to-school lunch programs indicates that money spent on local food has positive implications beyond the cafeteria. Preliminary results show that each dollar of the $66,200 invested so far actually amounted to about $1.87 in economic activity. Read the entire article.

Farm-to-School Programs Promoted as Economically Beneficial by Isabel Cowles. Finding Dulcinea. Published 03/25/2009.
Read the entire article.

Rep. Clem to receive farm-to-school honor. Statesman Journal. Published 03/20/2009.
Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, will receive an award for his leadership in moving local food to schools in Oregon at the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Portland on Thursday. Read the entire article.

Rep. Clem to receive farm-to-school honor by Beth Casper. Statesman Journal. Published 03/20/2009.
Read the entire article.

Local Lunch by Radio program with guests Cory Schreiber, Rep. Brian Clem, Kristy Obbink, and Guy Jaeger. Oregon Public Broadcasting, Think Out Loud. Published 03/20/2009.
Read the entire article.

Local Gardeners Praise White House Kitchen Garden by Lynne Terry. Oregonian. Published 03/20/2009.
Read the entire article.

Portland Public Schools students learn how to be seasonal and regional eaters by Maureen Mackey. Examiner. Published 03/16/2009.
Read the entire article.

Doom in the lunchroom by Matt Petryni. Daily Emerald. Published 03/12/2009.
It's time to think about how schools can practice in the lunchroom what they preach in the classroom, to envision a school lunch program that is both healthy and ecologically sustainable. Read the entire article.

Columbia Forum discovers you are what you eat by Deeda Shroeder. The Daily Astorian. Published 03/05/2009.
Schreiber is an award-winning chef, managing the Oregon Department of Education's Farm to School program. At his ground-breaking Portland restaurant Wildwood, Schreiber helped define what's now widely understood to be Northwest regional cuisine. After opening the restaurant 13 years ago, he established relationships with farmers to keep his larders full of fresh vegetables, fruit and herbs, a practice that's much more common today. Schreiber left Wildwood in 2007, and for the last 15 months has been focusing his effort on bringing that farm-direct approach of food purchasing to the kitchens and cafeterias of Oregon's public school system. Read the entire article.

'The Amazing Food Detective' sends kids a fun message about healthy eating by Marty Hughley. The Oregonian. Published 02/24/2009.
Meanwhile, Farm to School, another national program administered here through Portland Public Schools, aims to increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables served in school meals. Read the entire article.

Students plot local action by Alex Paul. Gazette-Times. Published 01/29/2009.
Don?t be surprised if you soon see locally grown food carrying a label created by students in Peg Cornell?s AP Environmental Science class at Crescent Valley High School. One of the year-long projects is called Farm to School, and it is part of a nationwide program through which school districts buy produce from local farmers. Read the entire article.

A Department of All Kinds of Agriculture by Deborah J. Kane. Salem-News. Published 01/28/2009.
As the new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack will have many proverbial rows to hoe. At his recent senate confirmation hearing, he got a small taste of just how many. Read the entire article.

Two school board members will not return by Julie French. Ashland Daily Tidings. Published 01/27/2009.
Alexander currently serves on the farm-to-school and second language committees. She would like to continue to work on both of those projects after her term expires, she said. Read the entire article.

A Department of All Kinds of Agriculture by Deborah J. Kane. Oregon Live. Published 01/23/2009.
This year, legislators in Salem are considering a bill that would bring more Oregon-grown, -processed and -manufactured products into the public school lunchroom. Known as the "farm to school" bill, some have already assumed the legislation is intended to help small family farmers load up pickup trucks and head to schools with lovingly harvested organic broccoli. It is. The bill is also intended to support production agriculture in our state by making the school cafeteria a viable marketplace for all of Oregon agriculture. Read the entire article.

Consumer Wellness Center Announces $1000 Nutritional Grant Award for Corvallis "Farm to School" Pr by Mike Adams. Natural News. Published 01/05/2009.
Our second well-deserved Consumer Wellness Nutritional Grant Award is awarded to The Corvallis Environmental Center for their "Farm to School Program." "We are thrilled to support the CEC's efforts to teach schoolchildren about real food," said Mike Adams, the Executive Director of the Consumer Wellness Center and the creator of the Nutrition Grant Program. "This is the kind of activity that's needed throughout modern society to reconnect children with food and health. I hope this becomes a model of food education that's replicated throughout the nation." Read the entire article.

OSU taste tests grain-fed vs. grass-fed beef in Portland schools by Oregon State University Extension Service. Oregon Natural Resource Report. Published 12/30/2008.
Children can tell the difference between grass- and grain-fed beef, but when it comes to preference, they?re evenly split, according to taste tests that Oregon State University conducted at two grade schools in Portland. Portland Public Schools asked OSU to conduct the surveys as part of its effort to serve more locally produced food. The district had been considering serving hamburger patties made from local grass-fed cattle instead of the grain-fed beef that it now serves and whose origin is unknown to the district. Read the entire article.

Bill to add $22M to school lunches by Erin Mills. The East Oregonian. Published 12/20/2008.
Farm to School initiative aiming to put Oregon food in Oregon schools. Known so far as the 2009 Farm to School bill, it asks the legislature to spend $22 million to supplement school lunch programs. The bill would add 15 cents toward every lunch and 7 cents toward every breakfast that is served in Oregon public schools. The catch is that schools who wish to participate in the program must use the money to purchase Oregon-produced food. Furthermore, in order to qualify for the extra 15 or 7 cents, schools must prove they are spending an equal amount of national school food program funds on Oregon foods. Read the entire article.

What?s for lunch? Less junk by Christian Gaston. Pamplin Media Group. Published 12/11/2008.
Grant helps Portland Public Schools feed kids more local food. Kristy Obbink, director of nutrition services at PPS, says that the district?s Harvest of the Month and Local Lunch programs, which put farm-fresh produce on cafeteria plates twice a month, has her questioning the assumption that kids won?t eat healthy foods. It turns out students kind of like parsnips. Read the entire article.

New broccoli fans keen for green by Matt Neznanski. Gazette-Times. Published 12/10/2008.
How do you know you?ve got great broccoli? Elementary school children come back for seconds. Or thirds. Wednesday?s effort was the third tasting table set up by the Corvallis Environmental Center?s Farm to School program, designed to increase the amount of locally grown foods served in school cafeterias. Read the entire article.

PURS to fold under limited budget by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 12/04/2008.
Recently added positions the governor proposed to fund include the department's farm-to-school and renewable energy positions - two positions at risk because of their short tenures. Read the entire article.

Test Kitchen by Sarah Lemon. Mail Tribune. Published 12/03/2008.
Farm-to-school program gets a tryout in Ashland School District; 'It's 'great to try something new' Read the entire article.

Oregon House Democrats release "Job Creation and Family Support Plan" by Carla Axtman. Blue Oregon. Published 11/25/2008.
In a Salem press conference today, House Speaker-Designee Dave Hunt and Majority Leader Mary Nolan rolled out the Dems initial plan for job creation and family support including an increase of farm to school programs. Read the entire article.

Ashland starts Farm to School program by Andrea Pettes. KDRV. Published 11/13/2008.
The Ashland School District has partnered with the Ashland Food Co-op to teach the young kids about locally grown products. Beginning Thursday, the Farm to School Program will allow kids at Ashland schools to enjoy the same locally grown foods as Co-op customers. Read the entire article.

Oregon schools embrace local produce programs by Don Schrack. The Packer. Published 10/31/2008.
It was a simple, yet challenging concept: a healthful environment and community can exist amidst a robust economy. A Portland, Ore.-based non-profit organization, with assistance from growers, food processors and retailers ? and a nearly $300,000 grant from the Kaiser-Permanente Community Fund ? is taking its message of a healthful environment and community into Portland Public Schools. Read the entire article.

The Farm-to-Schools Movement: Schools across the state serve up change by Rebecca Mayer. The Lake Oswego Review. Published 10/30/2008.
Corn dogs and tator tots are being voted out of school cafeterias across the country. Unless of course they?re made from scratch with local, all-natural ingredients. Lunch ladies (and gents) are pioneering a food movement from coast to coast that encompasses a variety of more healthful options: from farm-to-schools programs and scratch kitchens to organic, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options. The National Farm-to-School Network dates back to a 2000 project funded by the USDA Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems. The aim is to not only put local food on the table for schoolkids but to help students to understand where food comes from and how food choices affect our bodies and the environment Read the entire article.

KBOO Food Show. KBOO-FM. Published 10/20/2008.
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Growing lunch by Leslie Cole. The Oregonian. Published 10/14/2008.
Mention school lunches, and it's hard to find someone who's not hungry for change. Maybe you can't see, smell or taste it just yet, but the shape of public school meals is shifting, in the Portland area and beyond. Despite other hurdles -- and there are many -- school food service directors are buying fresh fruits and vegetables from nearby farmers when they can, with little or no additional federal or state money in their pockets. Read the entire article.

Farm Lets Kids Have A Field Day by Don Robinson. The Register -Guard Springfield Extra. Published 10/02/2008.
This recent Friday outing was the start of an official farm field trip under the Farm to School program guided by the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition. Megan Kemple, the coalition?s Farm to School coordinator and one of its two full-time staff members, helped lead the tour. She also showed those who were not out in the fields how to trim onions with a scissors. Joining in were Bobbi Phillips, Springfield schools? new nutrition services director, and Joan Ottinger of Salem, coordinator of the state?s new Farm to School program, authorized by the Legislature in a special session last February. The program aims to bring more locally grown food into school lunches. Read the entire article.

Food Print by Carey Quan Gelernter. The Seattle Times. Published 09/28/2008.
These programs connect schools with local farms with the goal of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition and supporting local small farmers. farmtoschool.org Read the entire article.

Ore. lawmakers seek local food for schools by Associated Press. Oregon Live. Published 09/25/2008.
Two legislators want $22 million from the next session to use more local food for school breakfasts and lunches. Rep. Brian Clem, D-Salem, and Tina Kotek, D-Portland say they want to add 15 cents to each lunch and 7 cents to each breakfast for local food purchases. Schools have some new flexibility to buy local foods. But state officials say decisions now must rely on price. Read the entire article.

Farm-to-school funding plan aired by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 09/25/2008.
Reps. Brian Clem, D-Salem, and Tina Kotek, D-Portland, said Thursday, Sept. 18, they will seek $22 million in the next legislative session to put more local food on school breakfast and lunch plates. Clem and Kotek said at the Western Regional Assembly of the National Farm to School Network they want the state to put an extra 15 cents toward every lunch and 7 cents toward every breakfast to pay for local food purchases. Read the entire article.

Soup?s on for school lunch in Springfield by Mark Baker. The Register-Guard. Published 09/16/2008.
Monday was the first day of adding soup to the menu of the district?s 24 schools, part of a new plan created by nutrition services Director Bobbi Phillips. The district hired Phillips in June to create a more healthful menu lower in fat, with lots of fruits and vegetables from local farms. That?s critical in a school district where more than half the 11,300 students qualify for free or reduced lunches as part of the federal National School Lunch Program, Phillips said. Read the entire article.

School leaders look at putting fresher food on the table by Patty Mamula. The Capital Press. Published 09/05/2008.
A recent conference titled "What Shall We Feed Our Children" highlighted positive changes and longstanding problems related to school lunches and other nutrition programs for children. Improved nutrition starts with education. "How do we get kids who have been raised on convenience foods to eat "good' food?" Kristy Obbink, food services director for Portland Public Schools, said. Her district took the first step by eliminating the a la carte lunch items three years ago. Read the entire article.

Schools try to keep food cost low, quality high by Anne Williams. The Register-Guard. Published 09/02/2008.
Rising food and fuel prices are putting the squeeze on school cafeteria budgets across the nation, but most local school districts won?t be asking families to pick up much of the extra costs ? not yet, anyway. For instance, the district will be working with the Farm to School program to bring in more locally grown, organic produce, and every school will offer made-from-scratch soup daily. Read the entire article.

Some schools to start serving local, seasonal foods. KATU. Published 09/01/2008.
Students in the Portland and Gervais school districts will have much healthier, and local, options for lunch this year. Read the entire article.

Grant from Kaiser Permanente Community Fund Puts Local Food on the Menu. The Earth Times. Published 08/27/2008.
The first school assembly of the new academic year will take place today at 10 a.m., at Atkinson Elementary in South East Portland, where school food and education leaders will gather alongside farmers, food producers, grocery retailers and government officials to cheer a grant from the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund at the Northwest Health Foundation that will subsidize approximately 2,640,000 meals with the funds needed to serve more Oregon grown and processed foods in Portland Public Schools and Gervais School Districts. Read the entire article.

Coordinator hired for food program by Mackenzie Ryan. Statesman Journal. Published 07/22/2008.
Oregon Department of Education recently hired Joan Ottinger to coordinate the department's Farm-to-School and School Garden programs. Read the entire article.

Farm-to-school liaison will provide guidance by Paris Achen. Mail Tribune. Published 07/17/2008.
In a jab at childhood obesity, the Oregon Department of Education has hired a farm-to-school coordinator to work with the state agriculture department to help schools start their own farms and buy local fresh produce. Read the entire article.

Farmers take part in Farm to School Program by Ashley Hall. KDRV News 12. Published 06/24/2008.
Southern Oregon farmers are taking part in a program they hope will one day provide more locally grown food to area schools. The Farm To School Program would put local produce, flour, eggs, and other food products in school cafeterias. Read the entire article.

In search of food's 98 percent solution by Scott Exo. The Oregonian. Published 06/23/2008.
The future for Oregon farmers and ranchers lies not in a futile race to grow and sell more and to do it more cheaply. Their success will be in growing and marketing high quality, highly differentiated, branded products with a credible sustainability story. Read the entire article.

Students grow lunches by Jennifer Moody. Albany Democrat-Herald. Published 06/14/2008.
Salad greens grown at Seven Oak Middle School have already hit that cafeteria. Now, the greens will be served as part of the free lunches distributed every summer at various locations. Plenty of schools in the fertile Willamette Valley have gardens, but very few grow food to be consumed by students. That may change as food and transportation prices rise and schools look for new ways to motivate healthy choices. Read the entire article.

Many Ore. districts unaware of local food purchase options by Associated Press. KTVZ. Published 06/01/2008.
A survey by the Oregon Department of Agriculture has found that nearly half of Oregon's school food purchasers don't know they can buy from local producers. The Oregon Department of Education is expected to fill a companion position to Schreiber's this summer, making Oregon the first state to have companion farm-to-school program positions in the state departments of education and agriculture. Read the entire article.

From Farm to Table in Portland Public Schools by Deborah Kane. NW Kids. Published 06/01/2008.
Deborah Kane, Vice President of Ecotrust, talks about the wide scope of farm to school programs to create life-long healthy eaters, what programs exist in the Portland area, and how Portland Public Schools has begun incorporate these programs. Read the entire article.

Districts quizzed on buying local food by Mitch Lies. The Capital Press. Published 05/23/2008.
Nearly half of Oregon's school food purchasers don't know whether they even have the option of buying local food. That was one of the surprise answers to come from a survey the Oregon Department of Agriculture is conducting with Oregon school food buyers. Read the entire article.

Farm To School: Ecotrust Keeps It Local by Lizbeth M. Brown, Esq.. Eco Times. Published 05/05/2008.
Michelle Markesteyn, Ph.D. is a major force at Food & Farms, as the Farm To School and School Garden Program Coordinator. Farm To School programs enable schools to provide students with healthy, locally-sourced meals, incorporate nutrition-based curriculum, and provide experiential learning through farm visits, gardening, and recycling. Read the entire article.

Oregon's school-lunch crunch by Maya Blackmun. The Oregonian. Published 03/29/2008.
In the geography of a public school lunch, lessons can be learned of faraway places. Teachers at Archer Glen Elementary School could serve them up daily if students traced their school lunches to their origins. Read the entire article.

Students aren't hip to the beet generation by Betsy Hammond. The Oregonian. Published 02/28/2008.
Since last February, elementary students have been offered local produce twice each month in the Harvest of the Month program -- squash in November, cherry cobbler in December, pears in January. But it doesn't mean the kids have to love beets. Read the entire article.

Even if you wince, don't look away by Deborah Kane. The Oregonian. Published 02/28/2008.
When we remember that the line between agricultural issues and health issues is paper thin, we have a real chance at crafting solutions that result in healthier children and a healthier farm economy. Read the entire article.

Fresh beets on the school lunch menu by Michael Rollins. The Oregonian. Published 02/27/2008.
Portland Public Schools, in collaboration with Ecotrust, has been trying to serve locally-grown fruit and produce all year in school lunches. At Meriwether Lewis Elementary School in Southeast Portland, the regular pizza lunch and taco lunch this day included optional helpings of beets, which were baked whole, then sliced. This video is of lunch on Feb. 27, 2008. Read the entire article.

Second annual session is in voters' hands by Peter Wong. Statesman Journal. Published 02/25/2008.
He also won passage of another bill establishing a farm-to-school program to promote links between Oregon agriculture and students. Read the entire article.

Ore. lawmakers wrap up their 'test drive' annual session by Brad Cain and Julia Silverman. The Capital Press. Published 02/23/2008.
he Oregon Legislature's "test drive" of annual sessions came to a close late Friday after a day spent wrangling over final details on spending bills, bonding authority and a legislative referral on prison sentences. Among other bills approved in the Legislature's rush to close out the session: A plan to hire a farm-to-school coordinator for the Oregon Department of Education won support. Read the entire article.

Farm to school bill gets unanimous support from Oregon House by Associated Press. Oregon Live. Published 02/22/2008.
A plan to hire a farm-to-school coordinator for the Oregon Department of Education has won unanimous approval from the Oregon House of Representatives. The coordinator will be a liaison between Oregon school districts and local farmers. The idea is to help schools find local farmers and negotiate contracts with them and to make sure of compliance with federal rules on school food purchasing. Read the entire article.

Farm to school bill gets unanimous support from Oregon House by Associated Press. The Examiner. Published 02/22/2008.
A plan to hire a farm-to-school coordinator for the Oregon Department of Education has won unanimous approval from the Oregon House of Representatives. Read the entire article.

Farm-to-school bill gets unanimous support from Oregon House by Associated Press. The Capital Press. Published 02/22/2008.
Representative Tina Kotek of Portland, the sponsor, says the bill will help open markets for Oregon farmers. Read the entire article.

School food bill advances but without added funds by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 02/22/2008.
Oregon's farm-to-school program received a slight boost on Feb. 19 when the Oregon Legislature's budget writing committee moved a farm-to-school bill to the House floor, but with a caveat. The joint Ways and Means Committee failed to provide funding for the program. Read the entire article.

Healthy foods rise to top of menu by Kara Hansen. The Daily Astorian. Published 02/13/2008.
Preparing some of the meals at Astoria High School has become a live performance of sorts with the addition of display cooking, a technique that aims to give students a hot, high-quality meal, its freshness proven by their ability to watch it made before their eyes. There's a statewide move toward farm-to-school food programs, for both environmental and health benefits. In Astoria, much of the district's produce and other foods already come from Oregon or not far from it: potatoes from Sherwood, rutabagas grown in Troutdale, apples and cherries from Rainier and Washington-milled flour. Read the entire article.

Lawmakers take up farm-to-school plan by Mitch Lies. Capital Press. Published 02/05/2008.
An Oregon House committee on Jan. 23 forwarded a farm-to-school bill to the full Legislature that supporters said could improve school lunch menus and benefit Oregon farmers. Known currently as Legislative Concept 79, the bill calls for the state to add $95,000 to the Oregon Department of Education's 2007-09 budget to hire a farm-to-school program coordinator. The coordinator would work with chef Cory Schreiber, whom the Oregon Department of Agriculture hired earlier this year to be its farm-to-school program coordinator. Read the entire article.

Lean Funds Keep School Food Fatty by Scott Learn and Betsy Hammond. The Oregonian. Published 02/03/2008.
Oregon's school nutrition leaders are trying to put more fresh foods in students' lunches, rely less on high-fat foods and buy from local farms and food processors. But economic constraints force most to rely on commodity meats and other products. Recent video footage of downed cows being slaughtered at a plant that sources to schools around the country highlighted the frustration school districts have receiving unknown ingredients. This article looks at the current make-up of school lunches and why and how Oregonians are fighting to transform it. Read the entire article.

Multiplication tables by Editorial Board. The Oregonian. Published 01/22/2008.
Parents want their kids to eat more fresh produce, schools want to serve it, and Oregon farmers are eager to sell it. While the state Department of Agriculture has expertise in farms and food processing, Schreiber will need a counterpart with expertise in school nutrition to meet him halfway. That's why the farm-to-school coalition will be in Salem this week, seeking $95,000 for a matching position -- think salt and pepper -- in the state Department of Education. Read the entire article.

Cory Schreiber Takes on Hot Lunch by Stacy Larsen. Live PDX. Published 01/15/2008.
Currently, only 14% of school nutrition services food originates in Oregon. Working out of the Food Innovation Center, Schreiber?s focus is to increase the amount of fresh, Oregon foods moving from farmers to school cafeterias to upwards of 50%. Read the entire article.

Chef leads effort to serve Oregon food to students by Leslie Cole. The Oregonian. Published 01/08/2008.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture hires its first farm-to-school coordinator to increase the quantity of Oregon-grown foods in school lunchrooms. The new hire? Renowned Portland chef Cory Schreiber. Read the entire article.

Pioneer in Northwest cuisine works on Oregon school supplies by Associated Press. Rockford Register Star. Published 12/30/2007.
As the acclaimed, James Beard award-winning chef of Wildwood Restaurant in Portland for 13 years, Cory Schreiber has served plenty of discerning patrons. But come 2008, he'll have to please a whole new set of picky palates: Oregon's schoolchildren. Read the entire article.

Restaurateur leads farm-to-school effort. East Oregonian. Published 12/26/2007.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has hired noted chef and author Cory Schreiber to spearhead and manage the department's efforts to increase use of Oregon fresh and processed foods in the state's school feeding programs. Read the entire article.

Oregon Department of Agriculture hires noted chef by Associated Press. KTVZ. Published 12/22/2007.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture has hired a James Beard award winning chef to try and get more locally grown food into Oregon schools. Read the entire article.

Renowned restaurateur to help get more Oregon foods into schools. The Oregonian. Published 12/20/2007.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture announces the hiring of noted chef and author Cory Schreiber to spearhead and manage the department's efforts to increase utilization of Oregon fresh and processed foods in the state's school food programs. In his new role, Schreiber will work with farmers, food processors, distributors and school district food service staff, as well as existing farm-to-school groups and programs, to help get more nutritious, locally produced foods into Oregon schools. Read the entire article.

A taste for local food in Oregon schools by Bruce Pokarney. The Hillsboro Argus. Published 10/23/2007.
Oregon Dept. of Agriculture proponents of getting more nutritious and locally-grown foods into Oregon schools may have additional support thanks to a project just completed by Oregon State University and one just getting started by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Read the entire article.

Local students are eating up fresh produce by Sheila G. Miller. The Bulletin. Published 10/09/2007.
Throughout the year, students in the Bend-La Pine Schools stand in front of a large fruit and vegetable bar and often get the chance to choose between locally grown wedges of cantaloupe and watermelon, some grabbing dozens of cherry tomatoes and pepper strips. The produce comes through a farm-to-school program, sparked by the same woman who manages the Bend Farmers Market. Read the entire article.

Oregon State/ODA Project Adds Momentum to Farm-to-School Efforts by Staff. Western Farmer-Stockman. Published 09/10/2007.
Proponents of getting more nutritious and locally-grown foods into Oregon schools may have additional support thanks to a project just completed by Oregon State University and one just starting by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Read the entire article.

Lunch Program Goes Hollywood by Capi Lynn. Statesman Journal. Published 08/06/2007.
This program is one of nine in the nation to be featured in a film project highlighting the best practices of school lunchrooms...The district's participation in 'Cooks for Kids', a nine-part series coordinated by the National Food Service Management Institute at the University of Mississippi, may even bring attention to Oregon's proposed farm-to-school legislation. Read the entire article.

Homegrown freshness on menu for Oregon schools by Amy Hsuan. The Oregonian. Published 06/03/2007.

Evolution is transforming Oregon school lunches, as the movement toward calorie-conscious fare adds another goal: becoming homegrown.

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Schools put farming back on the table by Oregon School Boards Association. Oregon School Boards Association. Published 05/01/2007.
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Bills connect local schools with locally grown food by Peter Wong. The Statesman Journal. Published 04/12/2007.
Three bills, approved Wednesday by the House Education Committee and pending in the Legislature's budget committee, could lead to increased awareness of agriculture by students, greater participation in school gardens, and more sales of fresh and processed Oregon food to Oregon schools. Read the entire article.

Farm-to-School Programs Need More Support. Capital Press. Published 03/30/2007.

Kudos to the politicians and groups, ranging from agricultural to conservation organization, who seek to develop a Farm to School program. There are various House bills working through the Oregon Legislature to encourage schools to not only use healthier foods, but to specifically serve Oregon-produced agricultural products.

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Portland schools push local produce by Mateusz Perkowski. Capital Press. Published 03/02/2007.
Students in 56 schools in the Portland area are served locally grown food as part of Harvest of the Month Read the entire article.

Chef finds joy cooking for some of Portlands Smallest Eaters by Leslie Cole. The Oregonian. Published 10/10/2006.
Chef James Fowler measures success not by Michelin stars for his kitchen or huzzahs from well-heeled patrons, but by the cheers of two fourth-graders who hear that their homegrown cucumbers from the schoolyard will show up on the salad bar. Read the entire article.

Midsummer Night Dream Dessert Party Tomorrow by Kim Ricketts Book Events. SeattlePi. Published 00/01/0000.
Join us for "A Midsummer Night's Dessert Party" on July 29, in celebration of Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson's new book Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies and More. Cory Schreiber now works as the Farm-to-School Food Coordinator with the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture and continues to teach, write, consult and cook in Portland, Oregon. Read the entire article.