AG 2011 07 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Cabarrus County Schools do offer geographic preference for individual non - processed items, such as carrots. Yet in order to source this item locally, the school system must identify the need for it as a separate item, and then get three different bids. The contract for carrots would also be awarded to the lowest bidder. Cabarrus County Schools participates in the NC Farm to School Program. The program provides NC grown items including apples, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage and sweet potatoes. Menus are planned annually, then adjusted when this produce becomes available. Staff usually receives three months notice about the produce. They use this time to plan for promoting the produce. The kitchens at the all three departments and CMC Northeast are adequately equipped to prepare fresh produce. County staff working to implement Local Food Purchasing Policy In 2010 the County adopted a Local Food Purchasing Policy that requires County employees to locally source 10 percent of all food served at county catered events and small department sponsored meetings from food producers within North Carolina. Department leaders are currently taking steps to meet this requirement, with most of them planning for changes that will go into effect when the 2011- 2012 budget cycle begins on July 1, 2011. The Local Food Purchasing Policy identifies the Department Head as the agency contact for sourcing and purchasing local food, but most need information about how and where to find local food. As Department Heads work to comply with the County's Local Food Purchasing Plan, they are raising questions about how to define local. For example, when working with Punchy's Diner, they were unsure if they needed to ask whether the meat was locally - raised, locally- processed or both. Department Heads anticipate having to spend more money on local food, making cost a challenge. They also need information about ways to substitute locally - sourced food for processed items, such as granola bars and cheese trays, that are convenient and commonly used at meetings /departmental events. Food safety requirements, supply present expected challenges Department managers rely on Cabarrus County Risk Management office to determine food safety requirements. In general, individual vendors must comply with the food safety requirements mandated by the distribution companies. Both CMC Northeast and Cabarrus County Schools requires each vendor to have a Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan in place. To access institutional markets, individual farmers must be able to meet their supply needs. For example, a producer providing a product to Cabarrus County Schools must supply 37 schools each week. 20 Attachment number 1 1 -1 Page 255