Episode 24: National Farm To School Network Sunny Baker - How Can Schools Source Healthy Food?

Sunny Baker is the Senior Director of Programs and Policy at the National Farm To School Network.   For over 14 years, Sunny has worked to lead school food reform and create a new culture of regionally-based eating. Originally from St. Louis, Sunny grew up with a deep appreciation for the natural world and a strong desire to make a positive impact on her community, values shaped by her Jewish identity. One of Sunny's most notable accomplishments was her work growing the farm to school movement in Mississippi, featured at TedXManhattan in 2014. She established Good Food for Oxford Schools and co-founded the Mississippi Farm to School Network during her decade in the state. Sunny's career has led her to make meaningful connections between food systems and food justice work, which she sees as a crucial component of racial and economic justice. She believes every child has a right to nourishing, culturally appropriate food at school, regardless of their income, race, or geographic location. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and events, where she shares her expertise on topics such as food sovereignty and the future of school food. A graduate of Hendrix College, Sunny is now located in Little Rock, Arkansas.   The National Farm To School Network has a vision of a strong and just food system for all, and we seek deep transformation toward this vision through farm to school – the ways kids eat, grow, and learn about food in schools and early care and education settings.   TOPICS EXPLORED 0:00 – 2:02 – Introduction 2:02 – 3:18 – What is The National Farm To School Network and what type of work does it do? 3:18 – 4:39 – How did you become interested in a career in sustainable food and agriculture? 4:39 – 6:43 – When did the National Farm To School Network begin and what are some key moments in its history as an organization? 6:43 – 10:56 – How did the school lunch program begin and why? 10:56 – 14:06 – What are some things about the school lunch program that the average person may not know or may find surprising? 14:06 – 16:47 – What are some of the challenges with the current school lunch program? 16:47 – 21:12 – What type of work is the National Farm to School Network doing to create universal values aligned School Meals? 21:12 – 23:37 – How does Early Childhood Education fit in with school lunch programs? 23:37 – 26:30 – What type of work is the National Farm to School Network doing in collaboration with Native communities? 26:30 – 28:07 – How does the National Farm to School Network support food producers? 28:07 – 30:37 – What are some of the greatest challenges with getting local food into school lunch programs? 30:37 – 33:28 – What are some of the greatest lessons you've learned while advocating for farm to school? 33:28 – 35:54 – Things to share and wrap up   NATIONAL FARM TO SCHOOL NETWORK INFORMATION https://www.farmtoschool.org/   RESOURCES School Meals Who's At The Table: https://www.farmtoschool.org/universal-school-meals How Do Different Local Food Purchasing Initiative Models Effect Participant Spending On Local Food: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5c469df2395cd53c3d913b2d/66f191be552b31347565af6d_LFPI%20Model%20Analysis%20Document%209.20.24.pdf The Benefits Of Local Food Purchasing Initiatives: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5c469df2395cd53c3d913b2d/665ddf814fda261f05e0e260_Benefits%20of%20LFPIs%20-%205.6.2024.pdf   FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1 RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet   TAGS Food Environment Health Podcast Sustainability Agriculture Farm To School National Farm To School Network