How can an expanded farm-to-school program benefit Oklahoma farmers?
The 2005 pilot program involving just six school districts spent over $20,000 on Oklahoma-grown watermelons. These kinds of local sales keep dollars in Oklahoma and benefit communities across the state. The 2006 program involved 35 school districts that spent $44,000 on Oklahoma grown watermelons and honeydew melons. A farm-to-school program could potentially benefit farms of various sizes. Large school districts may be a good market for larger quantities of fruits and vegetables already grown on a commercial scale in Oklahoma, such as watermelons. Smaller-scale local farms could connect with small and medium-sized schools in the state.
