Kenyon College
( Gambier OH 43022 )
Contact Name:
Howard L. Sacks
Contact Title:
Director, Rural Life Center
Telephone:
(740) 427-5850
E-Mail:
rurallife@kenyon.edu
Program Web Site:
www.rurallife.kenyon.edu
Who was most responsible for initiating your farm-to-college program?

Faculty/Staff
In what year did the program begin?

2004
Are students actively involved in maintaining the program?

yes
How are the students involved in the program?

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Food preparation

Menu/event planning

Other research

Researching availability of local products

Promotional/educational outreach

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Researching costs/benefits of local purchasing
In what ways, if any, would you like students to be involved in the program?

Culinary classes to use food products

Member of project planning/advisory committee

Promotional/educational outreach

Work in campus/student farm or garden

Food preparation

Menu/event planning

Other research

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

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Facilitator for certain program components

Lead organizer

Resource/contact person

Other, please specify:
What role, if any, would be useful for cooperative extension agents or other agency/agricultural professionals to play in the farm-to-college program?

Resource/contact person

Stimulating interest and/or disseminating information (i.e., outreach)

Facilitator for certain program components

Lead organizer
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)

Meat, dairy, produce and fruits in season, specialty items
Are any of these local food products organically grown?

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

300000
What is the approximate total number of individual farmers you purchase products from during an entire calendar year?

16-20 farmers
Who/where are local products purchased from?

Farmers market(s)

Farmer-managed cooperative(s)

Distributor(s)

Individual farmer(s)

Campus/student farm or garden
If you work with a farmer-managed cooperative, other farmer network, or distributor that carries local farm products, please write in as much of the the following information as possible - Name, Complete mailing address, Phone, Email, Website.

Ohio, Mount Vernon, sgilardi@rrohio.com, Lannings Foods, OH, 1033 Newark Rd., 740-397-2751, www.lannings.com, 43050
Are local food products used in...

Catering

Special events

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

Start the program
If you have received external funding or other resources for the program, what is/was your source?

McGregor Foundation, Mellon Foundation
Have any of the following individuals or groups been directly involved in development, coordination, education or promotion related to the farm-to-college program?

Food service management company

Faculty member(s)

University department(s)

Other community/local/state organization(s)

Other student organization(s)

Student environmental organization(s)

Campus sustainability center(s)

Farmer association(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?

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

Web site

Special events (eg., local foods dinner)

Speakers/demonstrations

Farm tours

Class research

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?

Sustainable agriculture research and curriculum projects

Herb/kitchen garden

Water conservation program

Composting program

Recycling program
Are there any bidding requirements for purchasing local food?

no
Do local products cost more on average?

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

Use external funding (i.e., grant or subsidy) to make up the difference

Reduce costs elsewhere to make up the difference
What do you see as the most significant barriers to starting or sustaining farm-to-college programs?

Seasonal availability of products

Coordinating purchase/delivery 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 farmers build season extenders
What strategies, if any, do you recommend for making farm-to-college programs work?

Start small, such as planning a local foods dinner

Get college/university administrative support

Is dining/food services:

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
Total number of individual meals served daily in locations operated by dining/food services:

2500
Does food services use a (please choose most appropriate answer):

Meal (board) plan
What is dining/food services' approximate annual budget for food?

1000000