Our Farm to School Values Statement:
White Bear Lake Area Schools Farm to School initiatives create exposure to, engagement with, and excitement around fresh, local, homemade foods for students, families, and the community. Our partnerships between farmers/producers, the classroom, and the cafeteria benefit students, families, and the community through: stronger connections with agriculture and the food system; new experiences that influence decision making and healthy habits; a culture that values and provides equitable access to fresh, local, healthy, and delicious food.
Get to know our Farm to School Initiative:
What is Farm to School?
Farm to school is used to describe activities that promote and serve locally produced foods in schools and other organizations that participate in child nutrition programs. It is an opportunity to link local producers to their community.
How does WBLAS participate in Farm to School?
WBLAS serves a variety of local produce and foods throughout the year, and especially in the fall. Some examples include apples, carrots, potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and more.
WBLAS is participating in the MN Farm to School Institute for the 2024-2025 school year. The MN FTSI is a team-based, year-long professional learning opportunity for schools to develop skills and action plans for growing their Farm to School program.
We are working to grow our Farm to School connections beyond the cafeteria by including the community and classroom. Some recent activities include showcasing local apples at community events, and taste testing local produce with after school programming.
Please join us in thanking and supporting our Farm to School Partners:
- Taylor Ventures/Big River Farms
- The Good Acre
- Hmong American Farmers Association
- Pine Tree Apples
- Hamel Maple Syrup
- Ferndale Market
- Ranchers Legacy
Beyond local farm and farm hub partners, we also support locally-made products on our menu:
- JonnyPops
- HOYO Sambusas
- Captain Ken’s Foods
- Karlsburger Kitchens
- St. Paul Beverage Solutions
- Pan-O-Gold Baking Company
Civil Rights Statement: In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
(2) fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.