The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been named as lead agency in a six-state area for a new national program to encourage schools to serve more locally grown food.

As regional lead agency for the National Farm-to-School Network, CIAS
will be the hub for farm-to-school activities in the Great Lakes
region, encompassing Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio
and Indiana.

The national network is supported by a three-year, $2.4 million grant
from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The national network allots funds
to the regional agencies with the proviso that its contributions be
matched dollar-for-dollar with funds from other sources.

Thanks to a pledge of $30,000 from the Organic Valley Family of
Farms, fundraising in the Great Lakes region is off to a strong start.

CIAS is the only one of the eight regional lead agencies to be sited
at a land-grant university. This reflects the university”s ability to
partner effectively with the community on efforts to encourage the
use of locally produced food, says Michelle Miller, associate
director of CIAS. One such partnership is the Homegrown Lunch
Project, run by CIAS and the Madison-based REAP Food Group, which
works with 10 southern Wisconsin school districts to bring locally
grown food to children in 39 schools. The project is seen as a model
for efforts to bring healthy meals and snacks into schools.

“Wisconsin is a national leader in bringing healthy, locally grown
food into school lunchrooms,” said Miller. “This effort will bring
healthy food choices into schools throughout the Great Lakes region
and create new markets for local, family farmers.”

The selection of CIAS as regional lead agency was supported by a
number of groups involved in farm-to-school initiatives throughout
the Great Lakes region.

“By serving as the lead agency for the Great Lakes Region, CIAS will
build on the grassroots efforts of the many farm-to-school
initiatives currently underway, as well as those just getting
started,” says Doug Wubben, an outreach specialist in CIAS who
coordinates the Homegrown Lunch project.

Part of the funds provided to Great Lakes region will go to the
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, which will assist groups
throughout the region on issues related to farm and food policy.

The network has created a web portal at http://www.farmtoschool.org
to share information about programs, events, news and funding
opportunities. The network is coordinated by the Center for Food and
Justice at the Urban and Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental
College (www.uepi.oxy.edu) and the Community Food Security Coalition
(www.foodsecurity.org).