The document outlines a four-year initiative to enhance the purchasing of locally grown produce by schools, starting with one crop and expanding to over 30 crops from five local farms through collective bidding. It describes the implementation of a 'school food renaissance' that promotes scratch cooking and local produce use in school meals, supported by state legislation and grant funding. Future phases aim to further expand the program's reach, enhance processing capabilities, and increase access to local produce for schools and community institutions.

2.  Purchasing locally grown produce for fours years
 Began with one crop from a single farm to purchasing
over 30 crops from five local farms
 Collective Bid process with NOCO- The Northern
Colorado Coop. (10 Districts bid together for FTS)
 “School Food Renaissance”scratch cooking using
good and wholesome ingredients.
 Salad bar program offering local produce.

3. D6 Farm to School
Produce Purchases
$50,849
$39,064
$11,643
$239
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

6.  A local food development group focusing on the
development of local food systems that provide
integral infrastructure and system support to allow for
meaningful connections between local Producers and
their community.
 Supporting and developing systems that enhance Farm
to Institution relationships including Farm to School
programs.

7. 2012 Vision

8. 2010 - Senate Bill 81
“Farm-to School Healthy Kids Act”
Increasing the use of local farm and ranch products
in school food service programs to improve child
nutrition
Strengthen local and regional agricultural
economies

9. Creating or expanding farm-to-school program pilots;
Offering assistance in identifying funding sources and
grants;
Identifying, designing, or making available training
programs to enable local farmers and ranchers;
Advising school districts
Providing assistance to schools on recipes, menu
rotation, proper handling, preparing, storing, and
other internal processes that accommodate the use of
locally grown foods in public schools.

10.  Received grant support to revamp School’s central
kitchen:
 Allowed increased and efficient scratch cooking of
school meals.
 Expanded School’s ability to self-process local produce:
 Piloting a Summer Local Produce Processing where Weld 6
will process in-season products during the Summer to be
used when school is in session in the Fall
 Increase purchase of locally grown food
 Increase use of local grown food in school meals

12. Cooking Area
Bakery Area

14. Phase 1 Project Scope:
 Remodel existing facility allowing for an expanded
central scratch cooking production as well as self-
processing of farm fresh produce items.
 Purchase from local farms and provide a central delivery
destination.
 Ability to process products for immediate in-season use
as well as process products for extended use.
 Self distribute within District.

16. Phase 2 Project Scope:
 Expansion beyond Weld 6 District sites to servicing
other School Districts within Weld County as well as
participating NoCo Coop*
 Members that consist of 12 other School
Districts, including one in Wyoming.
 Increase potential buyers of locally grown and raised
food.
 Central aggregation, value-added products and
distribution of locally grown food to multiple school
districts.

18. Phase 3 Project Scope:
 Potential expansion beyond schools to service Weld
County municipality such as Food Banks, other
institutional purchasers such as local colleges and
hospitals with their direct from farm product needs.
 Expand access to locally grown and raised food to
multiple marketplaces.
 Increase economic profile of local producers and their
products.
 Ensure greater access to locally grown and raised foods
to entire community.

20. Jeremy West, CDM/SNS
jwest@greeleyschools.org
www.greeleyschools.org/nutrition