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Florida’s K–12 schools provide a potential opportunity to increase market channel options for small- and mid-sized diversified farms, but processing, storage, and distribution resources are extremely limited for smaller producers. This 9-page document serves as a model and case study with steps for producers and other stakeholders to conduct a feasibility study before forming a cooperative to sell local fruits and vegetables to schools and other institutional food-service outlets. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle D. Treadwell, Catherine Campbell, and Ray Bucklin, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2021.

Florida’s K–12 schools provide a potential opportunity to increase market channel options for small- and mid-sized diversified farms, but processing, storage, and distribution resources are extremely limited for smaller producers. This 9-page document serves as a model and case study with steps for producers and other stakeholders to conduct a feasibility study before forming a cooperative to sell local fruits and vegetables to schools and other institutional food-service outlets. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle D. Treadwell, Catherine Campbell, and Ray Bucklin, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2021.

Florida’s K–12 schools provide a potential opportunity to increase market channel options for small- and mid-sized diversified farms, but processing, storage, and distribution resources are extremely limited for smaller producers. This 9-page document serves as a model and case study with steps for producers and other stakeholders to conduct a feasibility study before forming a cooperative to sell local fruits and vegetables to schools and other institutional food-service outlets. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle D. Treadwell, Catherine Campbell, and Ray Bucklin, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2021.

Farm to school (F2S) programs aim to educate people about food and farming, to increase the availability of fresh, nutritious foods, and to improve health outcomes among children. Nationally, all states have school districts that self-identify as farm-to-school program participants. National and regional food procurement systems account for the majority of food purchased by National School Lunch Program participants, but school foodservice authorities (SFA) who purchase food from farmers often do so in the context of strengthening their farm-to-school program (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA], n.d.-b). A greater number of local supply chain participants benefit when food is sourced in state (locally) rather than out-of-state because more money ends up in the pockets of local producers and distribu­tors. Local fruit and vegetable producers and SFAs interested in developing business partnerships for local procurement would benefit from recommen­dations on menu-appropriate fresh market prod­ucts, volume, and purchase prices. However, detailed data sets from SFAs are uncommon, limiting opportunities to advance procurement efforts. The objective for this project was to begin developing local procurement recommendations for other Florida school districts based on the purchasing history and experiences of the Sarasota County School District (SCSD). In 2014, Sarasota County, Florida, received a USDA F2S implementation grant, affording it the opportunity to develop its local procurement efforts. One deliverable from that project was a robust data set of school food purchases over a two-year period. With permission SCSD, we analyzed seasonal purchase variations and market prices of local and out-of-state fresh fruits, vege­tables, and egg purchases for 38 public schools in the SCSD. In this paper, we present an approach to estimate the potential of local procurement viability in the context of an emerging districtwide F2S program and recommend system changes based on the success of procurement efforts in SCSD and surrounding school districts in Southwest Florida.

Every year farmers must harvest their crops. This process marks the end of the growing season and carries social significance in communities, but it also creates challenges for producers trying to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to market. Good postharvest practices establish appropriate cold chains that maintain the correct temperatures, humidity, and respiration rates while also ensuring the safety, sanitation, and quality of the fruits. These postharvest practices differ, depending on the size and economic situation of an operation. This 18-page fact sheet provides postharvest storage, packaging, and handling recommendations for small farm specialty crop producers. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle Treadwell, Steven A. Sargent, Jeffrey K. Brecht, and William Pelletier, and published by the Horticultural Sciences Department, October 2015. HS1270/HS1270: Postharvest Storage, Packaging and Handling of Specialty Crops: A Guide for Florida Small Farm Producers (ufl.edu)

Every year farmers must harvest their crops. This process marks the end of the growing season and carries social significance in communities, but it also creates challenges for producers trying to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to market. Good postharvest practices establish appropriate cold chains that maintain the correct temperatures, humidity, and respiration rates while also ensuring the safety, sanitation, and quality of the fruits. These postharvest practices differ, depending on the size and economic situation of an operation. This 18-page fact sheet provides postharvest storage, packaging, and handling recommendations for small farm specialty crop producers. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle Treadwell, Steven A. Sargent, Jeffrey K. Brecht, and William Pelletier, and published by the Horticultural Sciences Department, October 2015. HS1270/HS1270: Postharvest Storage, Packaging and Handling of Specialty Crops: A Guide for Florida Small Farm Producers (ufl.edu)

Every year farmers must harvest their crops. This process marks the end of the growing season and carries social significance in communities, but it also creates challenges for producers trying to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to market. Good postharvest practices establish appropriate cold chains that maintain the correct temperatures, humidity, and respiration rates while also ensuring the safety, sanitation, and quality of the fruits. These postharvest practices differ, depending on the size and economic situation of an operation. This 18-page fact sheet provides postharvest storage, packaging, and handling recommendations for small farm specialty crop producers. Written by Jonathan Adam Watson, Danielle Treadwell, Steven A. Sargent, Jeffrey K. Brecht, and William Pelletier, and published by the Horticultural Sciences Department, October 2015. HS1270/HS1270: Postharvest Storage, Packaging and Handling of Specialty Crops: A Guide for Florida Small Farm Producers (ufl.edu)