SANFORD — Maine Regional School Unit 57 in Waterboro has won a $33,778 federal grant to implement farm-to-school initiatives in the district’s seven schools.

“Maine schools do a great job teaching students about the food they eat and the people who produce it,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who announced the award on Thursday. “Their embrace of the farm-to-school movement has brought terrific benefits to our communities as a whole, including nutritious meals for students, business for local farmers, and school sustainability.”

The Regional School Unit 57 Farm to School Program will serve the district’s schools by implementing food and wellness lessons and activities through farm-to-school initiatives, Pingree explained in a statement. Such initiatives include farm field trips, increased procurement of local foods in the cafeteria, taste tests of local foods, and integrating education about the gardens, greenhouse, “zero waste” composting program, and nutrition into classrooms.

“I’m grateful that RSU 57 will get federal support to serve more locally-sourced food and engage students in sustainable, healthy food systems. This federal investment is sure to have a big impact,” said Pingree.

As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Pingree has been a strong advocate for the Farm to School Program at USDA. 

According to the 2015 Farm to School Census, the Maine school participation rate was 79 percent while the national rate was 42 percent. On average, schools in Maine spent 16 percent of their budget on local products like fruit, vegetables, milk and meat, Pingree noted.