August 27, 2021 - Mechanicsburg, PA
At Hill Top Academy in Mechanicsburg, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was joined by Vonda Ramp, Pennsylvania's Director of Childhood Nutrition Programs, today where he revealed that over the past three years, Pennsylvania schools offering farm to school programming increased by more than 137 percent since last surveyed.According to recently released Farm to School Census data by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania schools are increasingly offering programs that grow agricultural awareness and provide locally produced foods in schools that combat food access issues and increase nutrition."Pennsylvania's farm to school programs provide nearly one million Pennsylvania kids with access fresh, healthy produce and simultaneously spark an interest in agriculture," said Redding. "Empowering students to know where their food comes from is one of the most powerful tools we can provide to today's youth."