Through partnering with local nonprofits, LTISD is sourcing foods from regional farms to provide students fresher, more nutritious meals and avoid potential supply chain issues, district officials said. Additionally, LTISD hopes to support local farmers as farmland dwindles in Travis Country.
“By working with these new partners and collaborating with them, we’re able to really regionalize our food system and be able to have our community feed our community,” said Marissa Bell, LTISD dietitian and marketing coordinator.
The big picture
On Jan. 15, LTISD will begin serving elementary students a cafeteria tray in which every item has been grown regionally or in Texas, including meat patties, buns, milk, fruits and vegetables, Bell said.
The district has served meals using a greater amount of meat, produce and products from local farmers upon receiving a nearly $100,000 grant. The Local Food for Schools grant program by the United States Department of Agriculture has allowed Texas school districts to receive grants of up to $250,000 from November 2023 to March 2025.
LTISD has aimed to take the grant’s requirements, which include purchasing minimally processed, Texas-grown foods, a step further by sourcing locally in Central Texas, including farms in Elgin and Spicewood, Bell said.
This school year, the district began partnering with the Central Texas Food Bank through its newly established Food Hub Program and is continuing to work with The Common Market Texas to receive chicken, fruits and vegetables. These organizations gather products from multiple farms in the area and deliver them to LTISD campuses.
“We saw that opportunity to harness our infrastructure that already exists to uplift small scale producers while increasing access to nutritious food to our next generation of community members,” said Tracy Ayrhart, vice president of strategic insights for the Central Texas Food Bank.
Why it matters
LTISD developed an interest in sourcing food locally following the coronavirus pandemic, during which the district discovered that its local vendors were better equipped to supply their food, Bell said. Sourcing from local farms builds resilience in the community amid emergencies and disasters, such as winter storms, she said.
The district can now serve fresher food that has less time to degrade nutritionally, Bell said. LTISD has implemented more scratch cooking using minimally processed products and removed allergens from menu items.
The Central Texas Food Bank’s food hub system has provided greater opportunities for small- and mid-sized farmers who may not produce enough products to feed an entire school district on their own, Ayrhart said.
Hallie Casey, partnership director for The Common Market Texas, said she has seen many farms close their doors in the Central Texas area over the last five years. Nearly 17 acres of farmland are lost in Travis County each day, according to a 2022 report from the city of Austin.
“Our school food system moves trillions of dollars of purchasing power,” Casey said. “It's a huge opportunity to really create an impactful change in your own community.”
Also of note
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller started a Texas Farm Fresh program to incentivize districts to serve local foods upon being elected to the position in 2015. At that time, Miller told Community Impact he discovered many Texas schools were not serving local foods and disconnected from their nearby farmers.
Participation in the Texas Farm Fresh program has increased amongst school districts every year, he said. LTISD has been awarded for participating in the initiative by serving local foods for the past several years, Bell said.
On April 5, LTISD hosted state Rep. Carrie Isaac and Texas Department of Agriculture staff to celebrate the first Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day, which was created following the passage of Isaac’s House Bill 3991.
Going forward
In December, the USDA announced the investment of $1.13 billion in local and regional food systems, including the Local Food for Schools program. LTISD is optimistic that it will receive additional funding and is awaiting direction from the TDA on how funding might be awarded, Bell said.
The district plans to open a hydroponic flex farm after receiving a grant from the Lake Travis Education Foundation that will allow students to observe lettuce and herbs growing in the cafeteria. Alongside introducing local foods, LTISD has sought to educate students about where their food is grown, Bell said.
Through its food hub system, Central Texas Food Bank hopes to serve more school districts and may consider expanding to work with child care centers, restaurants, hospitals and retail businesses, Ayrhart said.
