St. Paul, MN (November 4, 2009) – The President of the National Bison Association was among the nutrition, education and agricultural leaders who met here yesterday with U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan to discuss efforts to include a higher percentage of locally-produced food in area school lunch programs.

Merrigan was in St. Paul this week to learn more about the pioneering efforts underway in this region to source local food for the city’s public school nutrition programs. While in St. Paul, she toured the city’s Public School commissary and hosted a roundtable discussion with local school foodservice professionals, non-profit representatives, distributors and farmers.

National Bison Association President Gail Griffin was among the roundtable participants who discussed their work in connecting local producers with school foodservice professionals. Griffin, who owns Rockie Hill Bison Farm in Winona, MN, has worked extensively over the past several years to promote local food in Minnesota. 

She noted during her presentation to the Deputy Secretary that the connection between schools and producers benefits all parties. She noted that inclusions of locally grown products on school lunch menus not only enhances the nutritional quality of the students’ diets but also serves to educate children about the source of their food.   “Working with farmers increases not only farm to school, but also school to farm educational opportunities,” Griffin said. 

Merrigan’s activities in St. Paul were part of her Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative. The St. Paul school district purchases more than 55 percent of its produce from local farmers. Griffin has worked to connect Minnesota’s local school nutrition officials with area bison producers.