Ecotrust in the News
Portland Mercury
April 9, 2009
By Sarah Mirk
School Lunch Crunch
Local Foodies Push Salem for Lunch Money
AT A SUSTAINABLE chili factory on the outskirts of Salem, several dozen school lunch ladies and local food activists are witnessing the creation of what they hope will be the cafeteria food of the future. Forget meatloaf trucked in from 1,000 miles away.
On a factory floor reeking of onions, a shuddering metal machine splattered with a layer of chunky chili mixes all local, sustainably grown vegetables into portable containers designed for easy reheating.
Portland Public Schools (PPS) already serves this vegan chili once every three weeks in its cafeterias, according to Kristine Obbink, PPS nutrition services director. Now Obbink and others are hoping the legislature will vote to fund a program that gives all Oregon public schools money to buy locally grown foods for their cafeterias. The innovative Farm to School Bill (House Bill 2800) takes aim at two things Oregonians take seriously: their children and their food.
Pizza is served in Portland high schools every day and in middle schools every other day, due in part to the fact that Oregon is one of only four states nationwide that does not give public schools any money for their lunch programs.
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