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Photo of Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables - Click to enlarge
For Immediate Release: July 1, 2008
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus today announced that 25 schools will participate in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program for the 2008-2009 school year. 

The fruit and vegetable education program provides fresh and dried fruits and fresh vegetables throughout the school day to teach students the importance of good nutrition and the benefits of including fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet, as well as increasing their consumption of produce.

“This program exposes students to the great taste and nutritional benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, some of which might not be offered at home,” said Secretary Kuperus.  “We hope these students will learn to seek out these healthy snacks and incorporate them into their daily diets long after the program ends next June.”

A total of 98 New Jersey schools, within 68 districts applied for the program.  Some of the criteria used in making the selections included: a majority of schools needed to have 50 percent or more of the students eligible for free or reduced price meals; schools planned to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables; the program would be well-publicized and all students would have access to the produce offered; and schools planned to partner with outside organizations to enhance nutrition education.

The recently passed federal Farm Bill expands the fruit and vegetable program to all 50 states.  The program was initiated as a pilot in 2002 in four states and one Indian Tribal Organization.  Legislation in 2004 made the program permanent. 

New Jersey’s congressional delegation worked to ensure that the Garden State was included as part of this program.

The participating schools come from 16 different counties in New Jersey.  They are:

AtlanticCounty

AlderAvenue Middle School, Egg Harbor Township

MullicaTownship School

OceansideCharter School, Atlantic City

DawesAvenue School, Somers Point

BergenCounty

BrownstoneSchool, Saddle Brook

BurlingtonCounty

ChesterfieldElementary School

SpringfieldTownship Elementary School

Cape MayCounty

WoodbineElementary School

CumberlandCounty

HaleyvilleElementary School, Commercial Township

EssexCounty

Our Lady of Help Christians School, East Orange

LincolnAvenue School, Orange

TuscanElementary School, Maplewood

TeamAcademy Charter School, Newark

GloucesterCounty

EvergreenAvenue School, Woodbury

HudsonCounty

Elysian Charter School, Hoboken

MonmouthCounty

PortMonmouth Road School, Keansburg

MorrisCounty

DaytopPreparatory School, Mendham

OceanCounty

OakStreet School, Lakewood

SouthToms River Elementary School

PassaicCounty

WilliamB. Cruise Memorial School #11, Passaic

SalemCounty

P.W.Carleton School, Penns Grove

QuintonTownship Elementary School

SussexCounty

MerriamAvenue School, Newton

UnionCounty

LivingstonElementary School, Union Township

WarrenCounty

PhillipsburgEarly Childhood Learning Center