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Nebraska State Senator Tom Brandt’s Farm To School Bill goes into law on Friday. The measure connects schools across the state with local farmers and ranchers and helps those schools get locally produced food. Brandt says the bill makes sense because currently, 90 percent of the food dollars spent in Nebraska school cafeterias goes out of state., and this measure will help correct that.
He says not only is this law beneficial for students by getting them good and nutritious food it also benefits the state’s producers.
Brandt’s legislation also creates a full time position within the Nebraska Department of Education to coordinate efforts to connect schools with local producers.
Brandt says there’s even an elementary school program in Omaha where students have their own garden and grow radishes which helps them learn more about where their food comes from.
Click on the link above to hear interview snippets.
Streaming video provided by Nebraska Public Media