In this episode, we peel back the many layers of school food procurement—from the complex, regulation‑heavy world that veteran Nutrition Services Director Michael Rosenberger knows all too well, to the on‑the‑ground solutions taking root through Kevin Beltran’s work with the New Mexico Farmer’s Market Program. Together, their stories reveal both the challenges and the possibilities of bringing truly local, culturally relevant foods into school cafeterias. From navigating federal bids to celebrating Indigenous foodways like the Three Sisters, this conversation explores how communities and school systems can bridge the gap between red tape, red chiles and real nourishment.

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