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North Dakota sits above the national average for districts participating in its Farm to School program and officials said local success reflects the state's strong relationship with agriculture and how it is often linked to education.

The Foundation for a Healthy North Dakota brought together partners for a recent update on the program. Nearly 80 percent of School Food Authorities around the state take advantage of resources to make it easier for them to buy farm-fresh food from local producers.

Amanda Olson, farm-to-school specialist for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, said it is not just beef, poultry and milk.

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"We have a lot of great local bakeries in some of our smallest towns," Olson pointed out. "A lot of people are purchasing the dough and then they're baking it themselves."

There are challenges, including the winter months limiting local food production. Olson noted survey data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which show near nearly a third of schools reported limited availability of foods grown or raised locally. The state is educating districts on the best ways to find nearby vendors and simplify purchases.

Officials said the program also offers learning opportunities like school gardens.

Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation, awards grants to school districts across the country, including those in North Dakota, as they try to use fresh ingredients in their lunch offerings. She said there is a goal to win over skeptics in helping lunch staff to cook from scratch.

"When you start moving to more freshly prepared meals, scratch-made meals, you're really kind of surrounded by this ethos then, that you're able to change," Fleishman explained. "You are able to affect the health of the meal."

She added part of the foundation's focus is helping lunch directors create long-term plans with the approach. However, recent swings in federal funding for local grower efforts are complicating the situation. Earlier this year, the Trump administration froze a host of grants covering multiple agencies. A federal judge ordered some USDA grants to be restored. The agency typically set aside some money for farm to school initiatives.