Copyright Arkansas Online
A program that aims to ease the way for schools to serve more locally produced foods grown by Arkansas farmers will begin in state schools in January, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office said Thursday. The statewide effort, called the Arkansas Plate Initiative, will connect farmers with schools to improve student access to nutritious, locally sourced meals and strengthen the connection between students and Arkansas farmers, according to a news release from the governor's office. "The Arkansas Plate Initiative brings together nutrition services, farm to school initiatives, and agricultural partners with a shared goal: making Arkansas-grown food a regular part of school meals across the state," Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said in the news release. "By helping schools source more products from Arkansas farmers and producers, we're supporting our state's largest industry, improving access to healthy meals for students, and strengthening local communities," Ward said. Starting in January, participating school districts will feature "Arkansas Plate Day" meals once monthly, in which cafeterias will serve meals that highlight locally grown ingredients like rice, beef, poultry, catfish and edamame, as well as seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. The state will collect feedback and purchasing data during the pilot year to evaluate the program, and there are plans to expand into additional schools across the state in the 2026-27 school year, the release said. Participating schools will also receive educational materials, promotional signs and "Meet the Farmer" profiles to teach students about where their food comes from and about the importance of supporting local agriculture, the release said. The program aims to bolster student nutrition in a year when federal nutrition programs were transitioned to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the governor's office said. Federal nutrition programs transitioned from the Arkansas Department of Education to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture in September and the transition went into effect on Oct. 1. The state Department of Agriculture now serves as the primary state agency overseeing the administration of federal nutrition programs, such as the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Feeding Program, Summer Food Service Program, Emergency Food Assistance Program, Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant Program, the department said.
