Otterbein College
( Westerville OH 43081 )
Contact Name:
Bill Taylor
Contact Title:
General Manager
Telephone:
(614) 823-1880
E-Mail:
otterbein_college
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
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?

Facilitator for certain program components

Lead organizer

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?

yes

yes
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Individual farmer(s)
Are local food products used in...

Regular menus
Was external funding or other resources (grants, equipment, etc.) used to...

Other, please specify:

Have you used any of the following to promote the program or enhance its educational value?

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

Fair trade projects

Herb/kitchen garden

Nutrition education

Other, please specify:
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?

Finding growers/local product supply
What do you see as the most significant benefits from farm-to-college programs?

Lower environmental impacts

Meeting desire and demand from customers

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 build season extenders

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?

Build positive relationships among key players (such as dining/food services, farmers, faculty/staff, and students)

Incorporate 'buy local' requirements into food service contracts


Promote the project in as many ways as possible to the campus/local community

Start small, such as planning a local foods dinner
What resources, research, or contacts, if any, were useful for starting or expanding your farm-to-college program?

Other, please specify:
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)
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