Oregon

Host Site:

The mission of the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is to:

• Ensure food safety and provide consumer protection
• Protect the natural resource base for present and future generations of farmers and ranchers
• Promote economic development and expand market opportunities for Oregon agricultural products

Service Sites:

Through the following Service Sites, FoodCorps Service Members develop and maintain edible gardens in several Oregon schools. The new school gardens serve communities where over 70% of all students are eligible for free or reduced price meals. FoodCorps Members provide over 1,500 culturally rich and diverse students with hands-on gardening and nutrition education, integrated into summer enrichment programs, after-school programs, and summer garden clubs:

• Food Roots
• Salem-Keizer Education Foundation
• Growing Gardens
• School Garden Project and the Corvallis Environmental Center

The school garden sites in Oregon increase the availability and accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables for youth and their communities through a number of site specific ways:

• Tasting in the garden, classroom and cafeteria
• Supplementing the produce offered in the school cafeteria as part of the regular school meal
• Donating to the local Food Bank, the Tillamook County Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Program
• Distributing fresh produce to youth to take home