Farm to school, a movement that strives to offer healthy local foods and educational opportunities, allows students to learn where their food comes from, why food is good for their bodies, and even how to grow their own food. The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) launched in 2007 to foster the vision of farm-to-school programs in local, state, regional, and national settings. NFSN’s mission is to increase access to local food and nutrition education, improve children’s health, strengthen family farms, and cultivate vibrant communities. Over the past 20 years, schools have created farm-to-school programs to help achieve this mission. These programs include creating school gardens, procuring local foods from community farms, and educating students in agriculture, food, health, and nutrition.

Today, we celebrate Farm to School month in October. It is the perfect time to celebrate all things local, including dairy, the original local food! While milk and dairy foods may not be one’s first thought when thinking of local, most dairy farms are actually within 100 miles of a student’s school. This allows milk to get from the cow to the carton in just 48 hours. Many students do not realize that the milk that is on their breakfast and lunch tray every single day is actually from a local dairy farm. When the students find this out, they immediately want to visit the farm and meet the farmer and cows that created their delicious and nutritious milk.

In addition to milk being local, it provides 13 essential nutrients to students, including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin D, protein, and B vitamins. The nutrients in milk and dairy foods help students’ bodies build strong bones, create energy, grow strong teeth, build and repair muscles, and keep digestion on track. The milk being offered at school is nutritious, delicious, and locally sourced. Dairy farmers are part of your local community and are committed to providing wholesome safe products for schools to offer as a part of a balanced breakfast and lunch.

The St. Louis District Dairy Council challenges all students, parents, and schools to celebrate Farm to School month this year by discovering a local dairy farm within their community using the From Moo to You! program. From Moo to You! is a colorful collection of posters highlighting local Illinois and Missouri dairy farmers. From Moo to You! can be found under the “Our Programs” tab and the “Farm to You” tab. Click on each pin on the map to find a local dairy farm in your area.