I just got back from presenting at 4 area conferences for the NY State School Nutrition Association. This is a professional organization that helps support and educate cafeteria workers. This year’s theme was Farm to School Programs. Getting more local fruits, grains, and vegetables into the schools makes sense for children’s health, local economies, school budgets, and the preservation of farmlands. Other presenters included local farmers, and folks from the NYS Farm Bureau. Promoting local agriculture and economies was something that everyone there agreed with, and there was a lot of useful information presented by some very passionate and well-informed people. I felt welcomed, even with my more ‘radical’ viewpoints, and was given a good forum to present my ideas, as well as my songs - I really enjoyed myself.

On the other hand, I am constantly surprised to be reminded that most of the attendees, which included cafeteria managers as well as staff, had little knowledge of nutrition beyond the basic USDA requirements.


For instance, during one of my presentations, no one in the group knew that excess salt leaches calcium from bones. Phytonutrients, enzymes, and other ‘uncategorizable’ essentials seem to be completely absent from their training. There was also much misinformation presented as fact - specifically, the downplaying of the dangers of GMOs and synthetic chemical residues, as well as artificial additives, in our food supply, along with the message that only misinformed, fearful people buy ‘organic’, or eat ‘natural’ foods.

On the third hand though, I got to hear some real success stories from the farmers, and from the few school folks who have already started implementing farm to school programs. I look forward to working more with this group, both learning from them, and sharing some of my own ideas!