FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
For more information contact:
Bill Clary
(502) 564-1137

KDA employees to speak at Farm to School Summit

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Department of Agriculture experts are scheduled to share their knowledge at the first-ever Farm to School Summit Wednesday in Lexington.

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension service will host the workshop from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its Fayette County office, 1140 Red Mile Place.

“Our goal is to bring the freshness and high quality of Kentucky Proud products into our schools,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “The Farm to School program enables Kentucky kids to grow into healthy adults who understand the importance of knowing what’s in their food and where it comes from.”

Tina Garland, coordinator of the Department’s Farm to School Program, will speak on KDA resources for connecting school foodservice directors with local farmers at 10 a.m., then will describe how schools can participate in the KDA Restaurant Rewards program at 10:45. At 4 p.m., she will talk about the importance of signage and how farmers and foodservice can obtain signs that connect eaters and farmers throughout the community.

Adam Watson, a KDA produce marketing specialist, will discuss the Good Agricultural Practices check list, liability, and food safety needs for farmers and foodservice directors at 11:15 a.m.

Representatives of two Kentucky Proud business are scheduled to speak at 11:30 a.m. Matt Wyatt of Kentucky Hydro Farm in Benton will tell how he grows and distributes hydroponically grown lettuce and other fresh produce to schools. David Neville of Capstone Produce Market in Campbellsburg will talk about developing a distribution model for schools.

The Farm to School Summit is funded by a grant from the Kentucky Department for Public Health. It is open only to Kentucky school districts and foodservice directors who pre-registered.

Currently, schools in 44 Kentucky counties participate in Farm to School or plan to get involved in the coming school year. Farm to School is a joint effort by the Kentucky Departments of Agriculture and Education, UK Extension, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Defense.

For more information about Kentucky’s Farm to School program, visit the KDA Web site at www.kyagr.com. Under the “Programs” menu, click on “Food Distribution,” then “Farm to School.”