Point Reyes Light - June 10, 2004

Valley pupils will be able to buy organic lunches

By Jim Kravets

Students in Lagunitas School District will have an option of buying organic lunches during the fall semester under a pilot program district trustees decided Tuesday.

Novato School District has been making lunches served in Lagunitas School District, and Fairfax-based Good Earth Natural Foods has now contracted with Novato to provide organic lunches as a "second option" twice a week. This week’s vote will make the organic food available to students here too.

"The meals will be hot, and we’re using all certified organic ingredients," said Al Baylacq, one of the Good Earth’s owners and a member of the school district’s Nutritional Advisory Council.

In July 2001, Lagunitas trustees agreed "that the food served shall be organic to the maximum extent possible."

Under the pilot lunch program, all service will be supervised by Novato food service director Miguel Villareal. The organic lunches will be made available to Valley students on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Good Earth last year provided approximately 475 lunches daily for students in four private elementary schools: Marin Waldorf School, Saint Mark’s School, Marin Primary, and Marin Horizon School.

Novato provided non-organic daily lunches to the Lagunitas students during the 2003-04 school year.

The Novato and Lagunitas lunches cost students $2.75, while the organic alternative will cost $4. Amy Foster, coordinator of the Nutritional Advisory Council, said the higher price for organic food reflects both its quality and the district’s obligation to subsidize lunches for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

The organic lunches will be evaluated after Dec. 16, 2004 when the pilot program is scheduled to end.

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