BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — KCSOS is partnering with micro-farms in Kern County to make sure students have freshly made meals.
- KCSOS is partnering with local farmers to provide freshly made meals for students.
- The goal is to expose students to locally sourced, organic ingredients.
- KCSOS received funding to support contract deals with local farmers.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Part of enhancing KCSOS's relationship local with farmers is working with them to provide students with made from scratch meals.
Rafael Juarez, director of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Department of Food and Nutritional Services, takes me to one of the four locations where they make food for KCSOS schools.
He says the meal of the day is a Chicken Sandwich and fruit, served with locally sourced Salad and corn on the cob.
Juarez tells me local farmers haven't always had a connection with schools in Kern County and want that relationship to grow.
"Potentially down the road get into a more of a formal contract, where they're gonna be potentially growing three, four, five, ten acres, of product just for specifically for the school."
With KCSOS feeding around one million students, the funding from the California Department of Education local food in schools program.
KCSOS food services and nutrition department were able to put money towards freshly made from scratch meals and contract deals with local framers.
"That was a great seed money that we received that is now allowing us to continue to build off that work"
KCSOS's charter schools, child care centers, alternative and special education programs, and schools will contract with Bakersfield, Delano, East Kern, Mojave, and Tehachapi so that students get to eat locally sourced organic meals this year.
"The whole goal is to expose students to foods, fresh vegetables, or any other locally sourced ingredients."
Juarez from the KCSOS's Department of Nutrition Services, tells me they are looking to partner with local farmers to continue providing fresh meals for students.
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