Food Policy Council of San Antonio's Farm to School Work Group:Survey of PK-12 School Food Service Providers Question Title * 1. How many PK-12 schools are in your school district? Question Title * 2. How is your school food service operation managed? Self Managed Outside Contractor Question Title * 3. What is your annual food service budget? Question Title * 4. During the school year (September through June), approximately how many reimbursable meals are served each day? Question Title * 5. How many after school snacks are served each day? Question Title * 6. What percent of students are eligible for free/reduced meals (district)? Question Title * 7. Did your district provide a summer feeding program in 2016? yes no Question Title * 8. Do you have salad bars in your district? yes no Question Title * 9. Do you sell fresh fruits and vegetables a la carte in your school district? yes no Question Title * 10. Do you sell fresh fruit and vegetables in vending machines in your district? yes no Question Title * 11. The following is a list of equipment helpful in preparing and serving fresh fruits and vegetables.For each piece of equipment, please select the appropriate response for your primary kitchen. Don't Have Don't Have, But Need Have, But Need More Have Enough Sinks Sinks Don't Have Sinks Don't Have, But Need Sinks Have, But Need More Sinks Have Enough Ovens Ovens Don't Have Ovens Don't Have, But Need Ovens Have, But Need More Ovens Have Enough Cutting Boards Cutting Boards Don't Have Cutting Boards Don't Have, But Need Cutting Boards Have, But Need More Cutting Boards Have Enough Industrial Mixers Industrial Mixers Don't Have Industrial Mixers Don't Have, But Need Industrial Mixers Have, But Need More Industrial Mixers Have Enough Knifes Knifes Don't Have Knifes Don't Have, But Need Knifes Have, But Need More Knifes Have Enough Slicer Slicer Don't Have Slicer Don't Have, But Need Slicer Have, But Need More Slicer Have Enough Salad Bar Salad Bar Don't Have Salad Bar Don't Have, But Need Salad Bar Have, But Need More Salad Bar Have Enough Fruit/Vegetable Wedger Fruit/Vegetable Wedger Don't Have Fruit/Vegetable Wedger Don't Have, But Need Fruit/Vegetable Wedger Have, But Need More Fruit/Vegetable Wedger Have Enough Apple Corer Apple Corer Don't Have Apple Corer Don't Have, But Need Apple Corer Have, But Need More Apple Corer Have Enough Industrial Food Processor Industrial Food Processor Don't Have Industrial Food Processor Don't Have, But Need Industrial Food Processor Have, But Need More Industrial Food Processor Have Enough Floor or Countertop Vegetable Choper Floor or Countertop Vegetable Choper Don't Have Floor or Countertop Vegetable Choper Don't Have, But Need Floor or Countertop Vegetable Choper Have, But Need More Floor or Countertop Vegetable Choper Have Enough Fryer Fryer Don't Have Fryer Don't Have, But Need Fryer Have, But Need More Fryer Have Enough Question Title * 12. Do you purchase any food items through a cooperative bid process? (e.g. a food hub or farmer cooperative) yes no Question Title * 13. Do you have a primary vendor from whom you purchase a majority of food items? yes no Vendor Name Question Title * 14. Do you purchase any fresh fruits and vegetables from this vendor? yes no Question Title * 15. Does your district purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from any other sources? yes no Source Name Question Title * 16. Please estimate, on average, what percentage of meal preparation is done on site in your district. Question Title * 17. What are the top 5 WHOLE FRESH FRUITS OR VEGETABLES your district purchases? 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Question Title * 18. What are the top 5 PREPARED OR PROCESSED FRUITS OR VEGETABLES your district purchases? 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Question Title * 19. Many school food service directors purchase local foods either directly from a farmer or fromtheir usual vendor. Have you ever purchased local foods? yes no Local Food Purchased? Question Title * 20. Please estimate how much money you plan to spend on local food this year. Question Title * 21. How likely are you to continue purchasing local vegetables? Very Likely Somewhat Likely Not Likely If you are NOT LIKELY to purchase local foods again, please indicate why: Question Title * 22. From your observations, when you served local fruits and vegetables, did student intake increase, decrease, or stay the same? Increase Decrease Stay about the same Question Title * 23. Do you have any interest in purchasing local foods? yes no If so, what are you interested in purchasing? Question Title * 24. In your opinion, what are the potential benefits of serving locally grown and produced food in your district? (Please select all that apply.) Schools support the local economy and the local community Schools know the sources of products Local purchases result in good public relations Students gain greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables Students have healthier diets Transportation costs are lower which also result in less of a carbon footprint Schools can purchase variable quantities Schools can purchase special varieties In my opinion, there are no benefits to serving local food in my district Question Title * 25. What would motivate you to increase the use of local foods in your district? (Please select all that apply.) More products available partially processed (baby carrots, salad mix, chopped onions, etc.) Assurances of food safety Financial incentives for purchasing local food One place to order from multiple farmers (i.e., farmer cooperatives) Farmers contacting me and showing me their products More producers in area from whom to purchase Regulations that make it easier to purchase directly from farmers Additional facilities and/or equipment in the school district to prepare food Classroom teaching about local foods and agriculture Support from district board of education More products available canned or frozen Interest from parents or community members Additional food service staff Programs to increase culinary skills for food service staff Other Comments Question Title * 26. What challenges or concerns do you have about purchasing local foods? (Please select all that apply.) Product costs Adequacy of supply Food safety Reliability of supply Delivery considerations Quality Ordering procedures Consistency of packaging Seasonal availability of local fruits and vegetables Potential threat to relationship with usual vendor Question Title * 27. How important is each of the following to increasing the use of local foods in your district? Very Important Not Important At All Regulatory information (procedures for buying from farmers) Regulatory information (procedures for buying from farmers) Very Important Regulatory information (procedures for buying from farmers) Not Important At All A list of local farmers willing to sell to schools A list of local farmers willing to sell to schools Very Important A list of local farmers willing to sell to schools Not Important At All Health and safety information about using local foods Health and safety information about using local foods Very Important Health and safety information about using local foods Not Important At All A list of when local foods are available in Texas A list of when local foods are available in Texas Very Important A list of when local foods are available in Texas Not Important At All Vendor identifies on order sheet where foods come from Vendor identifies on order sheet where foods come from Very Important Vendor identifies on order sheet where foods come from Not Important At All Examples of how other school districts use local foods Examples of how other school districts use local foods Very Important Examples of how other school districts use local foods Not Important At All Information and newsletters to share with families Information and newsletters to share with families Very Important Information and newsletters to share with families Not Important At All School-tested recipes and menus that use local foods School-tested recipes and menus that use local foods Very Important School-tested recipes and menus that use local foods Not Important At All Promotional materials to display about local foods Promotional materials to display about local foods Very Important Promotional materials to display about local foods Not Important At All Question Title * 28. In the last three years, which, if any, of the following steps has your district taken to link students with local farms and agriculture? (Please select all that apply.) Visited the Texas Farm to School Program website Taken students to visit a farm or farmers’ market Planted a school garden Served meals featuring Texas products Provided education about Texas food and agriculture Shared information about local foods with families Invited a farmer to school Held a harvest fair or farmers’ market at school Other (please specify) Question Title * 29. Certified kitchen facilities to process local fruits and vegetables have been identified as a need in our region. Would your school be willing to open their kitchen facilities for producers to process their product on weekends or during the summer months?" (Select all that apply.) Yes – open to any producer. Would need to have school staff member present. Producer may need to pay for time of staff member especially if on a weekend. Yes – only certain, approved producers. Yes – if they bring their own equipment. No Question Title * 30. Name your top 5 food distributors. 1 2 3 4 5 Question Title * 31. Contact Information Name Company Address Address 2 City/Town State/Province ZIP/Postal Code Country Email Address Phone Number Done
