BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Students across North Dakota will enjoy locally sourced meals as part of Fresh from North Dakota School Lunch Week, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, 2024. The initiative, aimed at promoting local agriculture and nutritious school meals, encourages schools to serve food products grown and produced within the state.

To mark the beginning of the week, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and North Dakota State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler will join students for lunch at Grimsrud Elementary School in Bismarck on Monday, Sept. 30. The event highlights the importance of incorporating North Dakota’s agricultural products into school meal programs. Bismarck Public Schools will showcase locally sourced corn on the cob from Vulcan Farms.

“Highlighting North Dakota food products grown by our farmers and ranchers and processed by local businesses helps students learn how their food is raised and produced,” Goehring said, a media release states. “School lunch programs can also help local economies and the state’s economy by buying these locally produced and processed foods. A wide range of North Dakota food products are now available for school lunch programs in addition to the high-quality raw commodities produced in the state.”

State Superintendent Baesler emphasized the link between nutritious meals and student success. “A student who has had a nourishing breakfast or lunch is a student who is ready to learn,” she said. “No one does a better job of providing the essentials for our meals than our North Dakota farmers and ranchers, and Fresh from North Dakota School Lunch Week gives our students some tasty affirmation of the importance of our food producers.”

Baesler also pointed to the educational opportunity provided by the week, noting that students will learn more about the food supply chain and the role of agricultural producers. “It is helpful for our students to learn that what they eat comes from our agricultural producers, and there’s more to the food supply chain than a grocery store,” she added.

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Instruction have provided posters and sample menus to schools participating in the initiative. Fresh from North Dakota School Lunch Week also aligns with October’s national celebration of Farm to School month, further encouraging the connection between students and local food systems.