Last Friday, I had the honor of visiting North Rose Elementary School outside of Rochester, New York for the launch of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program. Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association and Maureen Torrey Marshall, vice president of Torrey Farms, joined me in handing out fresh New York apples to the North Rose students for their morning snack. Also in attendance were representatives from the New York State Department of Education, Cornell University’s Wayne County Cooperative Extension, and local town and education officials.

A group of 5th grade students shared with us that they really look forward to the new the fresh fruit and vegetable snacks, each one emphasizing "fresh." Although these students live in the 5th largest agricultural county in New York State, they very seldom have fresh fruits and vegetables to eat at home. With much excitement, students told us about pineapple slices, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, blueberries, pears and other fruits and vegetables that they have enjoyed in the first two months of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program there at North Rose.

Nancy Younglove, the school district’s food service director, emphasized the importance of the program’s opportunity for kids to explore and learn to love a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Mrs. Younglove has introduced the students to tomato salad, broccoli salad, and carrot salad â€" each generating an overwhelmingly positive response from the students. The school faculty and staff were also quick to tell us how their students had benefited.

I was extremely impressed with how enthusiastic the North Rose kids were about their new fruit and vegetable snack. These kids typically eat so few fruits and vegetables, which makes this snack program very special to them. Also Jim and I were ecstatic to see how thrilled they were to receive locally grown New York apples.

North Rose receives $24,750 for the current school year to provide daily fresh fruit and vegetable snacks for its 330 students. It is one of 51 schools funded in New York to implement this innovative program designed to improve child nutrition. Statewide, New York receives a total of $1.7 million this school year, with that funding expected to double in two years and triple to $5.2 million in 3 years. The 2008 Farm Bill provides mandatory funding to expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack program nationwide.

For more information on the visit to North Rose, or for participating schools in your area, please contact Lorelei at 202-303-3400.