Despite USDA cuts, Preston County Schools says school lunch program will continue
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — As federal cuts continue to be announced across the country, organizations like Preston County Schools are still trying to figure out how to keep their food programs afloat after cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were announced two months ago.
12 News spoke with Justin Hough, the Director of Child Nutrition for Preston County Schools, who said the school system will continue to provide students with fresh, locally sourced options, despite no longer having the estimated $25,000-$30,000 it was expected to get this year.
That number is a fraction of the $3,770,060 the West Virginia Department of Education said it was supposed to receive this year for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative program. That money would have been divided between the school food budget, which would have received $2,727,150, and the child care budget, which would have received $1,060,910.
These cuts are still intact despite the state's recent moves to make healthy eating a priority.
'It is very difficult to hear 'We want to move to a healthier option, but we're taking away the funding for that healthier option.' Do we have items that meet the categories and meet the requirements that the USDA puts out for our schools' meals? Absolutely, we do, but we don't want to give the minimum on that, we want to be able to give these kids, you know, the best options,' Hough said.
46% of West Virginia households fall below threshold of financial survival, data says
Hough said Preston County Schools is part of a purchasing cooperative with other districts, so an option being looked at now to keep costs down is to do a produce bid as a co-op instead of individually, allowing vendors to offer the schools the lowest potential cost.
Hough said another way to keep costs down was to reduce waste as much as possible through things like making sure 100% of the item is used in a variety of ways.
'What we're looking at doing is actually putting a two-week cycle menu, so essentially we'll have the same nine to 10 days just rotating throughout the month, as well as offering additional cook's choice options,' Hough said.
There will be a cooperative meeting on Thursday where a vote will be held on whether or not to put out a bid together or continue individually.
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