Future Roots updates board on farm‑to‑school planning, seeks data and pilot options

Hannah Harris, representing Future Roots, told trustees the group’s farm‑to‑school action plan is underway under an MOU that expires in June 2027. She described outreach — bilingual surveys (130+ family responses), lunchroom conversations with students K–12, and bilingual listening sessions — and said the planning team will present options to the board next year after conducting pricing and financial analyses, student taste tests, and producer roundtables.

"We received over a 130 family responses," Harris said, and highlighted measured food‑waste estimates (an average of 14–16 pounds of food per student per school year in her example). She said the plan seeks to increase local sourcing where feasible, support local farmers and small businesses, and minimize the financial burden on district nutrition services by focusing on profitability and staged implementation.

Harris said Future Roots will present action‑plan options with funding options and evaluation metrics next year and invited trustees to visit school lunches and meet producers. Trustees asked for examples from other districts and for metrics that would demonstrate reduced waste and increased meal participation.