COMMISSIONER MILLER ENCOURAGES SCHOOL NUTRITION PARTNERS TO GO FARM FRESH FOR ANNUAL CHALLENGE

AUSTIN- Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller kicked off the Texas Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) 2023 October Farm Fresh Challenge. The annual event supports TDA’s goal of connecting federal nutrition programs, schoolchildren, and Texas agriculture. Schools are encouraged to buy Texas grown produce, connect students with the importance of agriculture, offer agricultural learning opportunities, and celebrate their activities on social media.

“The Farm Fresh Challenge is a big part of my commitment to shaping the next Farm Fresh generation,” Commissioner Miller said. “It started as an innovative way to promote local agriculture producers and now the challenge has a real influence on students and their communities. Last year’s challenge impacted over 1.7 million students across the state, and this year we’re expected to exceed that.”

This October, the Farm Fresh Challenge will be coupled with the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. This partnership brings added enthusiasm to exploring local foods, trying new recipes, and learning about agriculture during the month-long event.

“All of us play a role in helping build a homegrown and healthy Texas,” Commissioner Miller said. “Teaching young Texans about where our food comes from and how it’s grown can positively impact not only their own health, but the health of the community at large.”

In addition to providing guidelines and recognition for completing the challenge, TDA developed resources partners can use to Eat Local, Teach Local, and Be Social. Recipes curated by TDA inspire nutrition professionals to use Texas products and interactive materials provide engaging agricultural education. To assist in promoting these efforts online, TDA’s easy-to-use digital images can be added to social media posts. All these resources reinforce healthy food preparation and promote Texas products. Be sure to follow your favorite organization’s Farm Fresh efforts this October.

Program operators are encouraged to find agricultural producers through TDA’s Farm Fresh Network, a registry of approximately 210 companies. Farm Fresh Network members provide a wide variety of seasonally available Texas-grown food products directly to schools, child and adult care centers and Summer Meal Program sponsors. For more information on connecting Texas producers with statewide nutrition programs, click here: Farm Fresh Network.

For more information and to see who is participating in the 2023 Farm Fresh Challenge, visit SquareMeals.org/FarmFreshChallenge.

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