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Local school partnership receives nutrition award
A farm-to-school partnership working to put locally grown fresh produce into school lunchrooms has received state recognition for its efforts.

The New York State School Nutrition Association has given its annual Farm-to-School Partnership Award to a collaborative group comprised of representatives from Broome-Tioga BOCES, the Binghamton City School District, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier. The award was made in Albany on February 9.

“It’s truly gratifying to have a state agency essentially validate the effort this team has consistently put forth on behalf of improving student nutrition,” said Mark Bordeau, senior food service director for BOCES.

For the past two years, the team has worked with Reisinger’s Apple Country Farm in Watkins Glen to supply fresh apples for lunchrooms throughout the Binghamton City School District. The project was launched with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Pictured (l-r): State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball, BOCES Senior Food Services Director Mark Bordeau and James Liebow, chairman of the Farm to School Committee for the New York School Nutrition Association.