(Ames, IA) — A report by Iowa State University Extension says some type of incentives are needed to help schools districts in obtaining fresh local food for students.
ISU field specialist Teresa Wiemerslage says pandemic grants totaling $250,000 dollars in 2020 led to 57 schools working with food hubs to get fresh food — but that number dropped in half when the grant money went away the next year. She says the money was a big part of the issue, along with the experience of setting up connections.
Wiemerslage says they are continuing to work on ways to connect schools with locally grown food.