Blandy Hill students enjoy some Georgia grown corn in the school's lunchroom. Baldwin County Nutrition Director Susan Nelson says that more than 20 percent of meals in local school lunchrooms are grown or prepared in Georgia.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Thanks to the 2020 Vision joint initiative between the Georgia Departments of Agriculture and Education, students within the Baldwin County School System know that a significant portion of their meals are Georgia Grown.

The 2020 Vision initiative was announced by the two state departments in late 2015 with the goal in mind to have 20 percent of all foods served in schools be from Georgia by the start of the 2020 school year.

Baldwin County Nutrition Director Susan Nelson said she and her staff are ahead of the game.

“We’ve already surpassed that, so we’re shooting for the next level up,” Nelson said.

She was not able to put an exact percentage on how much food served in local lunchrooms is state grown or prepared, but did provide numbers for certain components.

The nutrition director estimated that 90 percent of schools’ produce originates in this state and 75 percent of chicken and beef served comes from Atlanta. Juices from Newnan, fresh bread from Savannah, and whole grain flour from Cochran are other local highlights on the menu.

“We’re bringing those items in now and we’re actually doing taste tests with the kids before we put them on the menus,” Nelson said.

Baldwin County Nutrition is seeking recognition through the state’s Golden Radish Award for successful farm to school integration.

Nelson said that she’s in the process of obtaining Georgia Grown logo stickers to highlight local food items for students as they go through the serving lines.

“It’s just to get the kids to understand that agriculture is the No. 1 business really in the state of Georgia,” the nutrition director said. “It’s also about getting them to understand the difference between fresh-grown foods and things we buy at the grocery store with how the flavors are different and healthier options.”

Baldwin County Schools will really be supporting local agriculture in March when they hold a Georgia Grown day where 100 percent of items on the menu will be from the state.

As another part of the initiative, kids will also be given the opportunity to grow their own herbs and learn how to integrate them into meals.

“We’re creating what I’m calling milk crate gardens in all the schools with fresh herbs so the kids will learn how to take care of the plants and also how to use them in their food,” said Nelson. “We’ll have little cooking classes in all the schools on how to use the items.”

Nelson said she wants to localize the menu even more than where it currently stands. She’s seeking out local growers to buy from and said sellers do not need to feed an entire lunchroom and that any amount will do.  

Nutrition Director Susan Nelson may be reached at 478-457-3315 or by email at susan.nelson@baldwin.k12.ga.us.