A lot more scratch-cooked meals, using fresh, regional foods, are on the way for Western Nevada County students. Sierra Harvest and the recently-formed County Food Services Agency have been awarded a 488-thousand dollar grant through the Foothills Fresh program. Many schools have had a farm-to-school program for 14 years. But County Superintendent of Schools, Scott Lay, says there’s still been a significant lack of scratch-cooked meals for all students, not just those who have kitchens in their schools…

click to listen to Scott Lay

Only 37-percent of applicants received such grant funding statewide. And Lay says such meals have already proven to be popular here…

click to listen to Scott Lay

The collaboration can now move forward with this funding to improve not only the quality of food on the plate but implement more sustainable environmental systems, reducing food waste and the use of plastic packaging.