Aichele Farms in Stanfield is one of six recipients of a farm-to-school program grant.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) recently announced the six awardees for the Farm to School Equipment and Infrastructure Grant Program. The goal of this competitive program is to help Oregon farmers, ranchers, seafood harvesters, and food processors get more of their local products into more of Oregon’s participating National School Lunch Programs (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP), and approved Summer Food Service Programs (SFSP).
Aichele Farms will receive $61,156 to make necessary upgrades to its cold storage facilities to extend the shelf life of fresh strawberries. The farm intends to sell to Morrow and Umatilla School Districts and increase the volume and frequency of sales to school lunch and summer meal programs in school districts west of the Cascades.
“We received a total of 36 applications requesting more than $2 million from all over the state,” said ODA Director Alexis Taylor. “Proposals included a variety of products, everything from tamales to fresh fruits and leafy greens. The awardees who were selected represent diverse nutritious products from across the state which our school children are sure to enjoy.”
For more information about the ODA Farm to School Program, contact Amy Gilroy at agilroy@oda.state.or.us or call 503-709-5360.
