Help Bring Healthy, Organic, and Climate-Friendly Food to CA Students!

California schools are preparing meals for millions of low-income students and students of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given how many California students rely on school meals as their primary source of sustenance, we want them to be as nourishing as possible.

That's why California state leaders recently funded a $8.5 million "Farm-to-School" program.

This critical new program has the potential to provide California's most vulnerable children with healthy, high-quality food so they are ready to learn and thrive in school.

And it can help support local farmers, including farmers of color, bolster economic recovery, and help fight climate change.

So, state leaders must hear from thousands of Californians to ensure that they make this program as health-protective, climate-friendly, and equitable as possible.

Submit a public comment before December 4 and help bring healthy, organic, and climate-friendly food to CA schools!

Photo Disclaimer: The photo displayed was taken before the COVID-19 crisis began and therefore before COVID-19 safety measures were implemented.
Photo: Damon Higgins/The Palm Beach Post/Zuma Press via Newscom

We need California leaders to increase access to healthy, organic foods for low-income students and students of color, and to bolster CA's economy by supporting local farmers. Submit a public comment before December 4 and help bring healthy, organic, and climate-friendly food to CA schools!

Your message will be sent to:

California Department of Food and Agriculture
Cc: First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Subject line:

Help bring healthy, organic, and climate-friendly food to CA students!

(Consider adding your own thoughts — personalized messages are especially effective)

Dear California Department of Food and Agriculture:
Cc: First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

I'm calling on you to ensure that California's "Farm-to-School" program is as healthy, climate-friendly, and equitable as possible.

California schools are preparing meals for millions of low-income students and students of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given how many California students rely on school meals as their primary source of sustenance, we want them to be as nourishing as possible.

We support your plan to put in place a strong, new Farm-to-School program.

Please ensure that the final plan for this program:

* Encourages schools to buy from California's organic farmers who produce healthy food without toxic pesticides and use climate-friendly practices
* Supports local farmers — especially farmers of color — whose livelihoods and farms are threatened by economic fall-out from the ongoing COVID-19 crisis
* Prioritizes schools in low-income Black and Latino communities, and offers much-needed resources to purchase local, healthy, organic foods

Getting more organic food in schools will safeguard California children and farmworkers from dangerous pesticides. It will encourage farmers to use practices that protect health and the environment. It will protect honeybees and other pollinators that are dying off in droves because of toxic pesticides.

And it will help lower greenhouse gas emissions, make our state more climate resilient, and protect clean air, water, and soil.

Thank you so much for your time.

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