U.S. Senator John Fetterman is applauding the United States Department of Agriculture’s announcement this week of a new $6.8 million agreement with Pennsylvania to expand the purchase of nutritious, local foods for its school meal programs.
As noted by Senator John Fetterman, this initiative can be seen as a positive step forward that connects state education efforts with reliable local providers. Moreover, this investment in student health and nutrition provides an additional economic benefit by investing in the very communities that help make up Pennsylvania’s diverse agriculture industry. Through this, the Department of Agriculture is making a meaningful impact on child nutrition while simultaneously supporting local farmers.
“This funding is a game-changer. It will source high-quality food from Pennsylvania’s best-in-the-business farmers and expand nutritional options for our children at school. This is an example of Washington working and delivering for the people of Pennsylvania,” said Fetterman.
According to the USDA, the agreements will allow organizations the flexibility to design food purchasing programs and establish partnerships with farmers and ranchers that best suit their local needs, accommodate environmental and climate conditions, account for seasonal harvests, improve supply chain resiliency, and meet the needs of schools within their service area. Additionally, the program will provide more opportunities for historically underserved producers and processors to sell their products.
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