Inaugural Gathering: First annual Wyoming Farm to School Conference held in Casper
The first annual Wyoming Farm to School (WFS) Conference and Expo was held Oct. 27-28 at the Wyo Sports Ranch in Casper.
The conference welcomed school district staff, nutrition professionals, local producers, community partners and citizens from across Wyoming and beyond for two days of conversation and networking focused on the impact of integrating fresh, locally-sourced food products into menus and promoting nutrition education in schools across the state.
Several speakers offered comments on nutrition and the farm to school movement during keynote addresses, followed by presentations on the impact of WFS from local partners and producers during breakout sessions.
Additionally, two live cooking demonstrations and a vendor expo provided opportunities for attendees to see farm to school efforts in action and build relationships in between sessions.
About WFS
The goal of WFS is to increase access to healthy, locally-sourced protein and produce options and boost education about nutrition and where food comes from throughout school districts in Wyoming through partnerships with local producers and organizations.
Officially called the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program, farm to school is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program which helps child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program and all associated programs, according to a program explanation written by the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE).
As part of the broader National Farm to School Network (NFSN), WFS works to connect school districts across the state with local producers and increase access to more fresh, local food options on school menus.
Additionally, increasing education about nutrition and where food comes from is a top priority of farm to school programs nationwide.
“Getting local food into schools is my number one mission,” says Farm to School Program Director Bobby Lane, who has been at the forefront of WFS efforts since late 2023. “Along with education, this conference is about providing a chance for producers and partners to meet and build up relationships.”
Lane describes the impact of WFS as “a snowball that just keeps getting bigger.” Of Wyoming’s 48 school districts, Lane says more than 35 are involved with WFS programming on some scale.
From using Wyoming beef in hamburgers to incorporating lettuce grown in school gardens into salad bars, the impacts of WFS manifest in several ways which lead to healthier students.
“We are all one big team trying to do the same thing, and it’s getting good nutritious food to our kids,” Lane says.
Featured speakers
The conference kicked off on Oct. 27 with a welcome from Lane, followed by an opening address delivered by First Lady of Wyoming Jennie Gordon.
In her address, Gordon thanked attendees for their work in fighting food insecurity throughout Wyoming and highlighted some programs of the Wyoming Hunger Initiative which complement WFS efforts.
“I want to thank you all for the hard work you do every day, because without you, this would not be possible,” Gordon said. “It is a blessing you’re here today making this effort to join together and find common solutions to food insecurity.”
Next, NFSN Senior Director of Programs and Policy Sunny Baker shared the history and evolution of school lunch and farm to school programs across America.
Baker noted the NSLP has roots in volunteer work and was designed to include farmers and increase access to nutritious foods for children from the beginning, but over the decades, the system has shifted to prioritize profit over people, leading to an increased presence of cheap, unhealthy food items in many school systems.
According to Baker’s presentation, farm to school programming reflects the original intent of the NSLP by fostering education and community while strengthening local food systems.
“Care work can be community action,” Baker said. “Every meal served with dignity is an act of defiance against systems which profit off of our disconnection.”
“Wyoming is full of very independent and strong folks who stick together,” Baker continued. “We’re supporting and taking care of one another and coming together to figure out what to do.”
Brenda Wattles, registered dietitian, chef and second-generation school nutrition professional, discussed the importance of environment and cultural habits in shaping healthy eating.
Featuring nutrition facts and statistics about childhood obesity in America, Wattles’ presentation underscored the importance of integrating fresh, nutritious whole food options like those provided through farm to school programs in school cafeterias.
In addition, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder offered comments on the impact of farm to school in districts across Wyoming, and Chef Yuri Sanow shared his experiences with integrating locally-sourced food into school menus in Boulder County School District in nearby Boulder, Colo.
Breakout sessions and other highlights
In addition to the featured keynote speakers, roughly 20 speakers representing various WFS partners and producers led breakout sessions throughout both days of the conference, welcoming questions and facilitating conversations regarding local impacts of farm to school programming.
Sessions included presentations by representatives of the Wyoming Food Coalition and Equality State Farms and Fork Farms, as well as a host of childcare professionals, food service directors, school district representatives, producers and processors involved with WFS.
Conversations provided an inside look at how WFS helps educate and feed Wyoming’s youth, as well as the current challenges and obstacles the program is working to overcome.
Additionally, Wattles and Sanow each held live cooking demonstrations featuring locally-sourced lamb and beans to add another layer of impact to the convention lineup, and a vendor expo on Tuesday allowed attendees the chance to meet and discuss the event’s happenings in further detail.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
