In Fall of 2001 MS3 graduate student, Heather House developed a class project to expose students to local, organically grown produce. Her initial idea produced a landmark agreement between SRU and the university food service provider at the time, ARAMARK to purchase 10% of its produce from Pennsylvania Local Organic Works (PLOW), a seven-member organic agricultural cooperative. "It's not just a matter of putting food on the table for students, it's about providing academic programs and helping students develop habits that will help them later in life," says Wayne Clickman, food service coordinator for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Three other schools in the State System of Higher Education are now likely to embark on a similar agreement with ARAMARK. Source: The Cornerstone, Fall 2002

A trial run of this partnership had two important outcomes, local farmers demonstrating they can deliver a quality product and the idea of purchasing locally become more a part of the climate of the University. Currently a new food service provide AVI has taken over this project with enthusiasm.

University of California students on 10 campuses launched a statewide campaign last month to pressure U.C. regents to spend at least 10% of their $ 20 million annual food budget on local and organic products. Sodexho, which was ousted from the University of California at Santa Cruz after a student campaign, recently began to draw its supplies from local sources near eight Midwestern campuses. And California-based Bon Appetit, which operates dining halls at 67 colleges, has hiked spending on local food to 20% of its budget.