Food systems Campus Resources

Food Systems Initiative Goals, Mandates, and Strategies: An overview to what a food systems initiative is, key mandates, and strategies.

Sustainable Campus and Operations Plan (SCOP): This is an example of a Sustainable Campus and Operations Plan (SCOP), which is a comprehensive overview to all green facilities initiatives. Food Systems is part of the Campus section, and is part of the condensed SCOP in Appendix A. 

• • • EXAMPLE: San Mateo County Office of Education SCOP

    • TEMPLATE: Blank Outlined SCOP 

    • EXAMPLE for SCOP in an Awards Program Context: SMCOE Green Ribbon Awards Program Summary

Board Resolution: Many communities have passed environmental sustainability and Climate Change Action board resolutions. In these resolutions local food systems purchasing can be addressed through policy.

SMCOE Whole School Sustainability Audit: Comprehensive audit for campus, curriculum, and community for purchasing, food preparation & consumption, on-site production, and waste.

• Local Award Programs

• • • SMCOE Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Challenge - Possible Financial Award!

    • SMCOOS Green Star Schools

• Statewide Award Programs

  • • Green Ribbon (ED-GRS & CA-GRS)

    • CA Green Business Award: Use Avoid Waste & Recycle Materials Sections

Community Alliance for Family Farmers Farm to Cafeteria Program supports school nutrition directors with purchasing from local vendors.

Center for Ecoliteracy has resources for Food Service Directors on sourcing California grown produce. 

Lunch Assist hosts a network of school nutrition professionals that helps navigate regulations and rules to promote healthy school meal programs. 

Learn about sustainable food purchasing:

Fair Trade Certification: Fair Trade certificated products focus on providing equitable payment, responsible companies, and workers rights. 

USDA Organic: USDA Organic certification is for agricultural practices that follow the USDA organic standards for growing and processing products. Producers who have received the USDA Organic certification have a demonstrated commitment to resource conservation and soil health. 

Find resources for designing and installing an educational garden onsite:

• Designing your School Garden by Western Growers Foundation 

• Green Schoolyards America has a online resource library for outdoor learning

Beginners guide by Cornell Waste Management Institute to implementing on-site composting at your school. Read through this if you are considering doing composting for your schools landscape or garden. 

• School Composting- Let's Get Growing!

The EPA has developed a toolkit for implementing programs to reduce food waste. The guide scales from small projects to large:

• Food: Too Good to Waste Implementation Guide