Www.cds.ilstu.edu Introducing Local Foods into Campus Dining: Challenges and Opportunities

www.cds.ilstu.edu

Introducing Local Foods Introducing Local Foods into Campus Dining: into Campus Dining:

Challenges and Challenges and OpportunitiesOpportunities

Why Local foods?

• Fresher and more nutritious food Increase regional economic health Encourage a self-sufficient community• Reduce environmental impacts• Marketing/PR opportunity• Educational opportunities.

– Make ISU a leader among state Universities in Illinois.

Farm to College programs

• Nationwide – 135 programs– Majority are private schools– Most public schools with programs required

external funding to start

• Currently only 2 in Illinois (Northwestern and Wheaton College) – both private schools with food service management companies

Current Farm–to–College Programs

Source: www.farmtocollege.org

Challenges

• Cost• Food Safety• Insurance requirements• Consistent product quality• Availability/seasonality• Coordinating purchase and delivery of

products• Additional preparation – retrain kitchen staff

Cost

Item Current prices Local Farm prices

Broccoli $1.71/head $2 - $2.50/head

Head Lettuce $0.75/head $2/head

Green Beans $1/# $3/lb

Carrots $0.26/# $2/lb

Cucumbers $0.63/# $2/lb

Salad mix $2.66/# $8/lb

Opportunities

• Education – creating more conscious consumers

• Research• Documentation• Establish a model – pilot• Desire to do our part

Why a Pilot at ISU?• Centralized location• Size…not too big, not too small• In house dining services• Institutional support• Academic support

– Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development

– Department of Family and Consumer Sciences– COB –focus on small businesses/entreprenuership– Agribusiness program

What Would it Involve?

• Inventory of food availability in the state (dates, farm locations, types)

• Cost analysis of products• Establishment of a system to coordinate

purchases and deliveries– Cooperative or some other model similar to current

mechanisms of purchasing

• Creation of a model that other state universities could replicate

Thank You

www.greenteam.ilstu.edu

http://www.dining.ilstu.edu/index.shtml