title: Does school size affect interest for purchasing local foods in the midwest?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the recent surge in environmental consciousness and the need to address childhood obesity, Farm to School programs have gained momentum. Even though Farm to School programs have increased in popularity, many schools still fail to take advantage of the benefits from such programs. School food service employees' lack of familiarity with the benefits of Farm to School programs or the means to overcome obstacles to implement such programs, along with school size, may represent key variables that serve to explain why more schools do not purchase more local foods for their schools.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a convenience sampling methodology to gather information regarding food service employees' perceptions of the benefits and obstacles and their attitudes to purchasing and serving local foods in their schools. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from school food service employees in southern Illinois. Data (n=151) were collected from 60 schools, representing 16 counties during the month of December, 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Purchasers from large- and medium-size schools perceived the "ability to know product sources" as a greater benefit to purchasing local food and perceived "cost of food," "adequate volume," "reliable supply of food quantity," "payment arrangement," and "packing material" as greater obstacles (p<0.05) compared to small schools. In addition, results indicated that food service employees were interested in receiving training to prepare and serve more local foods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings from this study indicate a need for continued education, development, and training to better prepare school food service purchasers in southern Illinois for how to buy more local foods to meet the 2020 legislation requiring schools to purchase at least 10% locally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Food and Nutrition, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA. ssmith8@siu.edu
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wleklinski
authors.forename: Sara Long
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tragoudas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000383:Agriculture; D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016730:Program Development; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables