The recommendations "included submissions by the committee's purchasing working group, the food safety working group and the know your food, know your farmer/farm to school working group."
Recommendations from the purchasing working group include: a project to identify best practices related to the USDA's purchase of fruits and vegetables for school lunch programs, increased funding, and partnership with industry to create materials to promote and increase awareness about fruits and vegetables.
The food safety working group recommendations include: minimum baseline standards established by FDA for all produce, FDA to adopt these standards as Good Agricultural Practices, training for small farmers, and agency and industry joint training.
The farm to school/know your farmer working group recommendations include: increased education for students and school personnel, collaboration with farmers to develop educational programs, support opportunities to attract all farmers of all sizes and types, and collaboration with non-profit organizations.
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Posted: 09/16/2010
