NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HONORS SCHOOL IN NEW BRUNSWICK FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM

(NEW BRUNSWICK) – Representatives from the New Jersey Department of Agriculture presented Lord Stirling Community School in New Brunswick with the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program VIP Award during a school assembly today.

The award highlights schools in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) that are doing an exceptional job at promoting fruits and vegetables and healthy lifestyles to their students. Lord Stirling was selected for the first-place prize for providing an extensive program integrating the entire school community in wellness activities.

“When schools like Lord Stirling use the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program as part of a comprehensive educational program, it changes how students and their families think about food.” NJDA Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn said. “Programs like this encourage students to expand their dietary habits by including more fresh fruits and vegetables, which can enhance their overall learning experience now, as well as leading to healthier lifestyle choices in the future. Congratulations to the students, staff and administration on creating such an extensive program.”

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a federally funded initiative that offers grants to schools to provide fresh produce as snacks to students in schools where 50 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced-price meals. There are 188 New Jersey schools participating in the 2024-2025 school year’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which has grown from 33 schools when it began in 2008.

“Studies have shown that healthy eating is associated with better grades, improved memory and alertness, and quicker information processing,” said Dr. Aubrey Johnson, Superintendent of New Brunswick Public Schools. “This motivated Lord Stirling Community School to join the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program. I’m delighted by the knowledge gained by our students, faculty, and staff, and by their enthusiastic participation in the program.”

Students at Lord Stirling are served Jersey Fresh produce at least 12 times throughout the year as FFVP snacks. These have included apples, cranberries, butternut squash, cucumbers, yams, Asian pears, and blueberries. Lord Stirling also participates in the Road to Reading Challenge, which includes books about growing produce, and celebrates National Garden Month and the school district’s March Snackness Month.

“We were motivated to become involved in this New Jersey Department of Agriculture program because of the benefits our students derive from eating a healthy diet,” said Kevin Jarido, principal of New Brunswick’s Lord Stirling Community School. “Our students, faculty, and staff all have learned so much and have really embraced the process – and we’re delighted to be enjoying this level of success.”

Lord Stirling Community School serves FFVP items two or three days a week and participates extensively in Farm to School Week in September, which includes learning about farmers markets, having a day to dress up like a fruit or vegetable or a farmer, and trying a locally grown snack at the end of the week. The school also is in the USDA National School Lunch, School Breakfast, After School Snack, and Local Food for Schools programs.

“Congratulations to the students and staff of Lord Stirling Community School for winning this year’s NJDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program Very Impressive Produce award,” said Dr. Patty Bennett, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator. “Providing fresh fruits and vegetables helps to keep students healthy, while also providing an opportunity to teach them about health, and how to make smart and nutritious food choices.”

The United States Department of Agriculture has allocated $5,429,429 to New Jersey for this school year’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, to provide fresh produce to 96,500 students in 49 districts throughout 14 counties during the school day. The students also receive nutrition education.

Nearly 80 percent of the 188 schools have agreed to link their FFVP to the Jersey Fresh Farm to School Program.

To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA and @JerseyFreshNJDA.

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