Our GREENandSAVE Staff is pleased to inform our members and readers about organizations that are helping to promote sustainability. If you would like us to profile your organization please Contact Us.
Student Farmers is actively looking to recruit a student ambassador in Florida, as well as farm mentors in Florida that can help guide students. Overall, student farming is a great way to reduce the distance from farm to table and increase health for students as well as their parents.
Here is an overview on Student Farmers
Student Farmers is a growing group of students who are committed to in-home and in-school sustainable farming as a means to promote physical fitness and environmental stewardship.
Our Mission: To improve health and nutrition education, combat the challenges of climate change, and support each other in generating some revenue to help pay for college.
Our Vision: To increase knowledge about the advantages of eating more heathy and locally grown vegetables across the range of high school and college age students. We also hope that many of the parents of the students will learn from their children’s engagement in our organization and adopt a diet with less processed foods to reduce the growing cost of healthcare.
Here is an example of an agriculture education program in Florida:
Florida’s Farm to School initiative enhances the connection that communities have with local growers to increase Florida products served in schools, offer healthier options for Florida’s children and get students involved in nutrition and agriculture education through school garden activities.
Schools are required to meet nutritional guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Researchers have observed increases in school meal participation when farm to school programs are present. An increase in meal participation may result in an increase in revenue for the school food service program.
Schools purchasing locally raised or grown agricultural products benefit both the local and state economies. Farms of all sizes can provide Florida products to meet schools’ nutritional needs. By working with schools, farmers can plan what, when and how much to produce.
