Organic vegetables to be supplied for Taoyuan school lunches two days a week, program to launch next February

After New Taipei City, Taoyuan County will promote the use of organic vegetables in school nutritional lunches. Starting after the new semester begins in February next year, organic vegetables will be supplied two days a week. Taoyuan organic farmers say they support the policy, but they also believe that only if the policy can continue stably, focus on community-based supply, and be paired with food and farming education, can a win-win-win situation be created for schools, farmers, and organic agriculture.

Taoyuan's organic vegetable production is enough to supply nutritional lunches for students countywide

"Local children eating local organic ingredients is wonderful!" said Wu Cheng-fu, head of Peifang Organic Comprehensive Farm in Pingzhen, Taoyuan. He believes that if schools' organic vegetables are supplied by nearby farms, the distance is short and transportation costs are low. "Maybe the organic vegetables our farmers harvest in the morning can be eaten by the schools at noon the same day."

Lan Yong-yu, chairman of the Taoyuan County Organic Industry Development Association, also believes that only by truly implementing community-based supply in which one school corresponds to one or two farmers can small farmers be taken care of and farmers and schools interact.

Lan Yong-yu believes that bringing organic vegetables into schools is a good thing. Students eat good ingredients, and the market for organic vegetables increases. Farmers all approve of this policy, but they also worry: will this policy change if the governing party changes? "Increasing production is both an opportunity and a risk for farmers. Adding one fen of land requires at least 600,000 in costs. If the policy is suddenly interrupted, it will be a considerable burden for farmers."

Pairing with food and farming education makes organic vegetable meal supply more beneficial

"If children only eat organic vegetables without knowing where organic vegetables come from, and without understanding the difference between organic vegetables and conventional vegetables, that would be a bit regrettable." Lan Yong-yu mentioned the importance of food and farming education. "Let farmers step out of the farm and into schools to share, and let students leave school and enter farms to experience. If such attempts can be made, Taoyuan will be a leading county and city in deepening food and farming education."

"Schools that use organic vegetables can plan extracurricular teaching with a food and farming education theme. However, at present, organic vegetable meal supply is still the main focus, and follow-up food and farming education still needs planning." said Wu Lin-hui, director of the Taoyuan County Education Bureau. Learning about organic vegetables and organic agriculture is something schools can teach at present. Later, students can be taken to nearby organic farms for visits to understand the growing process, which can also echo what is learned in class.

Children, did you know where the rice we eat comes from

I know, I know, it is grown by farmers

These lyrics come from "I Know," created by folk singer Li Shuang-ze. One day, can our campuses also develop more local lesson plans for ingredients such as rice, vegetables, and fish?