The Lunch Monitor: It Pays to Buy Local
Local Purchasing Incentive (Vermont) | S.273
What it does
Creates a tiered local purchasing incentive for Vermont schools and correctional facilities.
Reimburses schools annually for local purchasing. Reimbursements would start at 15 cents per plate when at least 15% of ingredients are purchased locally. This would go up to 20 cents per plate at 20% and top out at 25 cents per plate at 25% and above.
Defines the broadest definition of local as grown or produced in Vermont or within 30 miles of Vermont. Processed foods would need to be made in Vermont and contain at least 75% locally sourced ingredients.
Provides an additional full-time position in the Child Nutrition Programs at the Vermont Agency of Education to assist schools in purchasing more local foods.
Why we think it’s important
Schools in Vermont have a lot of buying power. $15.5 million was spent on food by School Nutrition Programs in 2018 and over half that money comes from outside the state via federal funding. If we’re able to create a stronger incentive to purchase food locally, we can keep more of that $15.5 million within our communities. This translates to higher quality meals and a stronger economy. The case for local food was apparent during the pandemic when shocks to national food chains demonstrated the resilience of local food. Leveraging schools to buy more local can help farms grow and develop a more robust local food system to protect our community against future uncertainty.
Local purchasing incentives are gaining traction regionally as well. New York currently has the most generous program in operation—any district that spends at least 30% of their food dollars within the state gets their state reimbursement quadrupled, from 6 to 25 cents per meal. A similar proposal is currently being crafted by a working group in New Hampshire. Nationally, the Small Farm to School Act was introduced in July and would take the incentivized local purchasing model nationwide.
Senator Balint and Sheila Humphreys of Food Connects chat with kindergarteners during breakfast after the bell at Green Street School.
Who supports it
In the Vermont Senate, there are 12 co-sponsors of the bill, including Senator Becca Balint from Windham County, Senators Dick McCormack and Alison Clarkson from Windsor County, and Senator Brian Campion from Bennington County.
Current status
The bill passed the Senate Committee on Agriculture with a favorable report and is now being reviewed by the Committee on Appropriations. Last action was taken on March 12th, 2020, and as normal Senate procedures resume we hope to see more action.
Interested in more?
To learn more about how money is currently spent on school nutrition and what the impact could be if redirected locally, check out this info booklet from VT FEED and VT FTS Network.