Furman University
(
Greenville
SC
29613 )
- Contact Name:
- James Wilkins
- Contact Title:
- Sustainability Coordinator
- Telephone:
- (864) 294-2076
- E-Mail:
- james.wilkins1203@furman.edu
- Program Web Site:
- www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSSE/Furman/Sustainabilit
- Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?
- University administrator(s)
- Food service management company
- Student(s)
- Faculty/Staff
- Dining/food services personnel
- In what year did the program begin?
- Other, please specify:
- Are students actively involved in maintaining the program?
- no
- In what ways, if any, would you like students to be involved in the program?
- Work in campus/student farm or garden
- Member of project planning/advisory committee
- Promotional/educational outreach
- Researching availability of local products
- Researching costs/benefits of local purchasing
- What role, if any, have cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals played in the farm-to-college program?
- Resource/contact person
- What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?
- Facilitator for certain program components
- Resource/contact person
- Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)
- Who runs/is primarily responsible for the farm-to-college program? (please choose primary person/group in charge)
- Dining/food services director/manager
- Where do the majority of your locally purchased farm products come from?
- 50-200 miles
- What are the primary local farm products you purchase? (please list top 3-5 items)
- Other, please specify:
- Are any of these local food products organically grown?
- no
- no
- What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?
- More than 20 farmers
- More than 20 farmers
- Who/where are local products purchased from?
- Distributor(s)
- Are local food products used in...
- Catering
- Regular menus
- Special events
- Was external funding or other resources (grants, equipment, etc.) used to...
- Not used
- Have any of the following individuals or groups been directly involved in development, coordination, education or promotion related to the farm-to-college program?
- Campus sustainability center(s)
- Faculty member(s)
- Food service management company
- Other community/local/state organization(s)
- Student environmental organization(s)
- University department(s)
- Is there a local farmer's organization (i.e., a cooperative) involved in your program that was in place prior to the program's start?
- Other, please specify:
- Have you used any of the following to promote the program or enhance its educational value?
- Class research
- Farm tours
- Information in dining locations about the program
- Press releases
- Special events (eg., local foods dinner)
- Web site
- What, if any, other environmental initiatives on your campus are connected with the farm-to-college program?
- Composting program
- Fair trade projects
- Nutrition education
- Packaging reduction program
- Recycling program
- Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects
- Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?
- no
- no
- Do local products cost more on average?
- no
- no
- What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?
- Getting farmers approved through food service company
- Finding growers/local product supply
- Resolving insurance needs
- Product quantity
- What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?
- Higher quality food
- Lower environmental impacts
- Meeting desire and demand from customers
- Opportunity for student education/research
- Good for school and/or company public relations
- Supporting local farmers, community and/or economy
- Of the following policy issues, please choose up to two, if any, that you believe would provide the most significant support for farm-to-college programs:
- Grants/subsidies to help farmers organize cooperatives
- Grants/subsidies to help farmers build season extenders
- What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?
- Get food service company support or endorsement
- Incorporate 'buy local' requirements into food service contracts
- Be patient but persistent
- What resources, research, or contacts, if any, were useful for starting or expanding your farm-to-college program?
- Buy Local Food and Farm Toolkit: A Guide for Student Organizers (Oxfam America)
- Community Food Security Coalition
- Farmtocollege.org Web site
- What resources, materials or research are needed for better guidance and encouragement of farm-to-college projects?
- Other, please specify:
- Other, please specify:
- Is dining/food services:
- Contract-managed (please provide contractor name)
- Contract-managed (please provide contractor name)
- If the program is contract-managed, from which level(s) of the company are individuals involved in the program?
- Corporate office
- District level
- Local level
- National level
- Regional level
- Total number of individual meals served daily in locations operated by dining/food services:
- Other, please specify:
- Other, please specify:
- Does food services use a (please choose most appropriate answer):
- Meal (board) plan
- Meal (board) plan