(TRENTON) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher today announced applications are now being accepted for the first annual Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer Recognition Award. One farmer will be honored as best in the State during Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week September 24-28, 2018. Farmer Recognition is an opportunity for all farmers to highlight their Farm to School efforts and provide them with resources to help feature their Jersey Fresh produce in local school meals.

“New Jersey school students benefit greatly from consuming healthy local produce but also can learn a great deal from our farmers about how their food is grown,” Secretary Fisher said. “The Farmer Recognition Award Program is an opportunity to thank the farmers who are already involved in farm to school activities, honor one outstanding farmer, and encourage more farmers to connect with schools.” 

Farmers can apply for the 2018 Jersey Fresh Farm to School Farmer Recognition Award at http://www.farmtoschool.nj.gov/agriculture/farmtoschool/documents/2018NJF2Sfarmerrecognitionappl.pdf

The deadline to complete and submit the application is March 31. Participating farms will receive an exclusive Jersey Fresh Farm to School promotional materials kit, which includes a Jersey Fresh Farm to School banner, hats, aprons, seasonality charts, and stickers.

Farm to School programs provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities to help students learn about local agriculture, how food grows and what it means to eat healthfully with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Farm to School activities can include, but are not exclusive to:

• Visits to a farm or from a farmer that teach students how food is grown
• Harvest meals serving locally sourced products from New Jersey farms
• School garden education that ties directly into what is already being taught in the classroom
• Local produce taste tests in schools

To learn more, visit www.farmtoschool.nj.gov.

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