Staff member says program uses state grants to source local produce, beef and dairy for children<br>nd school meals

A Staff member said the program sources fresh fruit, vegetables, beef and dairy from local farms and ranchers to provide meals for children, and that the Texas Department of Agriculture has awarded grants to support the effort. "How we're- we're- we're accomplishing that is by working closely with our local farms and our local ranchers," the Staff member said.

The speaker said the program relies on in-state suppliers for produce and meat and that, through a distributor, it also obtains milk and yogurt from local Texas dairy farms. "The TDA has, granted us and awarded us some grants that we've been able to put to use to bring in fresh produce," the Staff member said. The speaker said the program has "gone beyond that and also worked with local ranchers to bring in fresh beef" for children
nd that the distributor uses local dairy farms in Texas for milk and yogurt.

The remarks placed the program in the Rio Grande Valley and described local procurement practices and grant support; the speaker did not specify the grant amounts or the number of farms participating. The program details
s discussed in the meetingocused on sourcing and distribution arrangements rather than a formal vote or adoption of a new policy.

No formal action or motion was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt. The account in the transcript does not specify dollar amounts, contract names or the distributor's name beyond a general reference to a local distributor; those details are not specified in the record.