By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-953936.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says he has a plan to get kids healthy and it starts with what they eat. Speaking before a group of school nutritionists in Tallahassee Monday, Putnam says the state's Department of Agriculture should play a larger role in school lunch programs. Lynn Hatter reports.
Putnam says he wants to tie more schools to local farmers to get healthier foods in public schools. To do that, he's supporting a proposal to move the administration portion of the school lunch program from the Department of Education, to the Department of Agriculture.
"The missed opportunities that come from the Department of Education not having relationships with local producers, local farmers and local ranchers that could quickly divert excess supplies into the school system where, in the winter months in particular, we have fresh citrus and fresh strawberries and fresh vegetables coming out of South Florida. And what a shame it is for it to end up in a landfill or as animal feed when we have so many needs in our own society."
There's a proposal being crafted in the legislature to transfer oversight of the program. It's being sponsored by Orlando Senator Gary Siplin.