Simi Valley Schools and Farm to School

Beginning in August 2021, the SVUSD Child Nutrition Department began our Farm to School program offering our Harvest of the Month. Each month, we highlight a locally grown fruit or vegetable and offer it as a choice item in a delicious new recipe for our students to try. Some of these healthy and tasty fruit or vegetable picks may be things our students have never seen before. We hope to give our students the opportunity to expand their culinary horizons and learn about how the foods grown right in their community can taste wonderful, benefit their health and support local growers.

We believe Farm to School programs enrich our community's connection to fresh, healthy food and local food producers by changing food purchasing and education practices to teach about buying and eating local. Farm to School programs can empower children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. 

Farm to School programs are a vital way to improve the health and well-being of California schoolchildren through integrated nutrition education and healthy food access. Hundreds of millions of meals are served each year in California schools, and expanding opportunities for local food procurement that is tied to nutrition education is essential for establishing healthy eating habits that children can carry into adulthood. Procurement of more California grown food also supports connecting California's agriculture to California consumers.

Ventura County has a wealth of family owned farms who grow incredible produce that we have made some fantastic recipes from. Check back frequently for updates and pictures from our kitchens!

Simi Valley Schools would like to thank the following companies for their support of our students:

Dulce Berry Farm
1730 East Huneme Rd, Oxnard, CA 93030

Petty Ranch
19867 E Telegraph Rd, Santa Paula, CA 93060
www.saticoyroots.com

McGrath Family Farm
1012 W Ventura Blvd, Camarillo, CA 93010
www.mcgrathfamilyfarmers.com

Friends Ranch Inc.
15150 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai, CA 93023
www.friendsranches.com

King & King Ranch
642 E Guiberson Rd, Fillmore, CA 93015
www.kingandkingranch.com

San Miguel Produce Inc.
600 Hueneme Rd, Oxnard, CA 93033
www.sanmiguelproduce.com/

Pacific Fresh Produce Inc.
2650 Statham Blvd, Oxnard, CA 93033
www.pacificfreshpro.com

Oceano Farming Inc.
1850 W Stowell Rd, Santa Maria, CA 93458

Gold Coast Farms
1205 W Craig Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93458
www.goldcoastpack.com

Thank you for the amazing produce you have provided for us! We look forward to more of the delicious fruits and veggies you grow in the future! 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. email:
   program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.