Many good things are happening for the South Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition (SPARC). David Eyster furnished 500 pounds of wheat from a field that has not been touched by tillage equipment for 10 years. Over 500 pounds of whole wheat flour milled from the wheat has been delivered to Stillwater for our pilot project with Farm-to-School program. The whole wheat flour grown on healthier soils through no-till conservation cropping systems will provide better nutrition for the students and greater environmental benefits for all of us. A test conducted on the no-till wheat flour showed a protein content of 18 %. This is in line with similar results on tests that have been conducted in other states by the Agricultural Research Service.

SPARC is also working with Stars and Stripes Pizza in Oklahoma City to manufacture frozen whole wheat pizza dough. Over 700 pounds of no-till wheat will be milled by Upper Red Fork for the project. Stars and Stripes Pizza will produce 1050, 12” X 16” rectangular whole wheat pizza crusts which will be used for pizza and breadsticks. This amount should serve three school sites in Stillwater. Erick Womack at Stars and Stripes Pizza will be meeting with Vici Grimes with the Stillwater Public Schools in early January to see how they are currently making their breadsticks to better understand how to produce the whole wheat rectangular crusts to meet school food service needs. Chris Kirby is the new Farm-to-School Program Administrator with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, & Forestry. She will be a great asset to the project.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has awarded the Great Plains RC&D a conservation innovation grant to assist SPARC with market based incentives that will promote implementation of no-till conservation cropping systems. Chuck Willoughby and Jim Brooks with OSU Food and Agricultural Products Center are working on some market evaluations. Plains Grains will be assisting with sampling and testing of the SPARC whole wheat flour.

David Eyster and Vickie Grimes

What is Farm-to-School?

• School of food from local farmers
• School gardens
• Cooking Classes and Garden Kitchens
• Healthy Eating/Nutrition Education
• Farm/Farmer Visits
• Agriculture-Related Lessons and Activities

Why would farm-to-school program contribute to children's health?

Farm-to-school programs contribute to children's health by helping kids developing healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. According to research into existing farm-to-school efforts, students choose significantly more servings of fruits and vegetables when given the choice of high quality, farm-fresh produce. Children learn better when they are well-nourished.

Why would farm-to-school be good for kids in Oklahoma?

During the last 30 years in Oklahoma, the percentage of overweight children (ages 6-11) has quadrupled, while adolescent rates have more than doubled. Doctors blame poor eating habits for this "obesity epidemic." High sugar, high fat "fast foods" are being blamed.

While Oklahoma kids are consuming more calories than they need, they are not eating enough servings of fruits and vegetables per day, ranking the state dead last in the nation.

Because Oklahoma kids eat lunch at school and many eat breakfast there as well, schools have a unique opportunity to improve the nutrition of the children they serve.

How widespread are farm-to-school programs?

Programs exist in 400 school districts in 23 states, including Oklahoma. The Oklahoma food Policy Council (a joint project of the Kerr Center and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture) has spearheaded the Oklahoma program. The motto of the Oklahoma farm-to-school program is "growing healthy kids and a healthy rural economy".