Ferrum College
( Ferrum va 24088 )
Contact Name:
timothy wayne bernard
Contact Title:
executive chef
Telephone:
(540) 365-4453
E-Mail:
bbernard@ferrum.edu
Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?

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
What role, if any, have cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals played in the farm-to-college program?

Not Involved
What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?

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)

Other, please specify:
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?

yes

yes
Approximately how much, in dollars, does dining/food services spend annually on local farm products?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?

1-5 farmers

1-5 farmers
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Individual farmer(s)
If you work with individual farms/farmers, please write as much of the the following information as possible for two of them - Name, Complete mailing address, Phone, Email, Website.

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify:
Are local food products used in...

Regular menus
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)

Student environmental organization(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?

Information in dining locations about the program

Press releases
What, if any, other environmental initiatives on your campus are connected with the farm-to-college program?

College/student farm

Composting program

Herb/kitchen garden

Recycling program

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects

Water conservation program
Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?

no

no
Do local products cost more on average?

yes

yes
If yes, how do you manage the higher price?

Other, please specify:
What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?

Finding growers/local product supply

Seasonal availability of products
What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?

Opportunity for student education/research

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 dining/food services offset extra costs

Grants/subsidies to help farmers shift to more sustainable production and direct marketing
What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?

Form a supportive planning committee representative of key players

Be patient but persistent

Is dining/food services:

Self-operated

Self-operated
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
What is dining/food services' approximate annual budget for food?

Other, please specify:

Other, please specify: