title: Results from the 2009 Michigan farm to school survey: participation grows from 2004.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated changes in Michigan school food service directors' farm to school (FTS) participation levels and perspectives since a 2004 survey and factors that would facilitate FTS expansion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic survey census of all Michigan school food service directors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Michigan kindergarten-12th grade schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  Food service directors of National School Lunch programs in Michigan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey respondents were asked about local food purchasing behaviors, interests, motivations, concerns, and barriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were calculated to compare 2004 and 2009 results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participation in FTS was more than 3 times higher (41.5%) than in 2004 (10.6%), and the vast majority of school districts (77.0%) had taken at least 1 step to connect students with local food. Budget and cost issues were ranked higher as barriers to FTS than in 2004, but the desire to help Michigan farms had also substantially increased. Fresh and whole produce items were generally preferred for local procurement over frozen or canned items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Education to reverse perceived limits of procurement regulations, food safety assurances, and strategies to mitigate tight school food budgets are needed to encourage FTS expansion.
authors.affiliation: Center for Regional Food Systems, Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn J A
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Colasanti
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matts
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hamm
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D003625:Data Collection; D004032:Diet; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D012574:Schools; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric