On Sep. 3, the Logansport Community Schools Food and Nutrition Services Department announced on X the start of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for students K-6.

The United States Department of Agriculture administers FFVP; LCSC will be receiving federal reimbursements from the USDA to cover the associated costs of the program.

Under FFVP, students from kindergarten to sixth grade will be given free fresh fruit and vegetables as snacks throughout the day outside of normal lunch and breakfast hours. There are limitations under the program. Canned, frozen, or dried produce is not covered under the program, and any dips served with the snacks must be low or non-fat.

The FFVP first began as a pilot program in 2002 in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa. The success of the program led to various increases in funding and scope, and six years later, under the 2008 Farm Bill, the program was permanently expanded nationally. President George W. Bush originally vetoed the bill, but Congress overrode it and became law.

The program only began with $40 million, but by the next year, it had grown to $150 million. Studies on the effectiveness of the program have been positive, with one evaluation shortly after the program began finding that a majority of students participated in the program. According to the same study, more than 85% of staff in participating schools reported a positive opinion, and students in participating schools regularly consumed more vitamins, carbohydrates, and fiber.

The program will start in LCSC schools on Sep. 9.