Connecticut Schools Chosen for Farm-to-Cafeteria Program

Unlike other parts of the country, New England has been seeing a growing number of new farms. Connecticut is among eight states recently chosen for a federal pilot program supporting locally-grown food in schools.

Existing federal funds in this year’s Farm Bill will now allow 16 school districts to use tax dollars to purchase fruits and vegetables from Connecticut farms for school lunches. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty calls it a double-win.

"Making sure our children have fresh nutritious food, and making sure we'?re helping support our local farmers - this is a way of supporting and eating locally, which is better for our children and also better for our economy," said Esty.

The school districts in the pilot program include Cheshire, East Hartford, Hartford, Meriden, New Britain, New Haven, New Milford, Newtown, Putnam, Regional School District #14, Regional School District #15, Seymour, Waterbury, Waterford, Wilton, and Wolcott.

Despite her support for the farm-to-school pilot program, Esty and Connecticut’s House delegation voted against the overall Farm Bill, which contained cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The bill was signed into law earlier this year.

Tucker Ives contributed to this report.