In this episode, Kei Matsunami, the National Center for Appropriate Technology's Montana local foods specialist, talks with Chris Gaskell of Grasmick Produce of Twin Falls and Boise, Idaho. Grasmick Produce is Montana's contracted USDA Foods and DoD Fresh vendor.

Chris talks about how he has worked with local producers to offer more Montana-grown fruits and vegetables to schools participating in farm-to-school efforts. He discusses requirements, such as volume and item specification, as well as important considerations regarding distribution logistics and pricing.

This conversation with Chris Gaskell is part of a series of podcasts and videos for Bringing the Farm to School, a producer training program on selling to schools. These case studies feature farmers successfully navigating school sales. NCAT and the National Farm to School Network are partnering to develop Bringing the Farm to School, with USDA Food and Nutrition Services as the sponsoring agency.

Related Resources
Farm to School: Profiles of Ranches Making it Work
Farm to School Aquaponics Program
Local Food Systems

Other Resources:
Grasmick Produce
USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
USDA Foods in Schools
National Farm to School Network

For more information on this topic, you can contact Tammy Howard directly via email at [email protected].

Please call ATTRA with any and all of your sustainable agriculture questions at 800-346-9140 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Our two dozen specialists can help you with a vast array of topics, everything from farm planning to pest management, from produce to livestock, and soils to aquaculture.

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