Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Somerset County Farm, Middlesex County and Camden County Schools to be Awarded

(TRENTON) – The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will highlight the 15th annual Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week, and the third Ag Literacy Week, which takes place September 22-26, with three visits. The Farmer Recognition Award will be presented to Norz Hill Farm in Somerset County on Monday, Sept. 22; the NJ Farm to School Academy Pilot scholarship will be presented to the Camden City School District in Camden County on Wednesday, September 24; and the Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award will be presented to the Cranbury School District in Middlesex County on Friday, September 26.

Secretary Edward Wengryn, along with NJDA Division of Food and Nutrition Director Rose Chamberlain, Farm to School Coordinator Nicole Broadwater and state and local officials will take part in the ceremonies on Monday. The visit to Norz Hill Farm will include the award presentation and a tour of the farm from a student’s perspective.

NJDA Division of Food and Nutrition Farm to School Coordinator Nicole Broadwater, Office of the Food Security Advocate Program Manager Jemmell’z Washington-Rock and Policy Manager Dr. Dan Dychtwald, and state and local officials will take part in ceremonies on Wednesday. The visit to Camden City School District will include presenting the scholarship and a visit to the Community Farmers Market. The Community Farmers Market will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month as well as local farmers.

Secretary Edward Wengryn, along with NJDA Division of Food and Nutrition Director Rose Chamberlain, officials from Sustainable Jersey, as well as state and local officials will take part in the ceremonies on Friday. The visit to the Cranbury School District will take place at The Cranbury School, where the students will be participating in activities at several different stations. The award will be presented during lunch service.

Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week celebrates the partnerships being built between the state farmers and schools encouraging local procurement to enhance school meals.

The influence of the Farm to School Program has led to over 600 schools purchasing local. More than 700 of the districts buying local have implemented cafeteria programs using Harvest of the Month promotional material to highlight the nutritional value of local items, and nearly 350 districts use a curriculum that ties cafeteria meals to healthy eating education and/or field trips to farms.

Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week was established by law in 2010 to bring attention to the Farm to School Program, which connects schools to local farmers to increase the amount of local fresh produce available for consumption by students during the school day.

New Jersey Agricultural Literacy Week was established for the purpose of highlighting the importance of New Jersey agriculture, how the state’s agricultural products provide the necessary ingredients for meals, and the health value of eating fresh farm foods and locally grown produce and fruits for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

For more information on the New Jersey Farm to School Program, visit www.farmtoschool.nj.gov.

Visit No. 1

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be presenting the Farmer Recognition Award at 1:30 p.m., Monday, September 22, to Norz Hill Farm, 120 South Branch Rd., Hillsborough, NJ 08844.

Visit No. 2

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be presenting the NJ Farm to School Academy Pilot scholarship at 3:30pm., Wednesday, September 24, to Camden City School District at the Cooper’s Poynt Family School, 201 State St., Camden, NJ 08102.

Visit No. 3

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will be presenting the Best in New Jersey Farm to School Award at 11:15 a.m., Friday, September 26, to the Cranbury School District at The Cranbury School, 23 Main St. Cranbury, NJ 08512.

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To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA and @JerseyFreshNJDA.