MISSISSIPPI CO-OP HELPS STATE MEET NEW SCHOOL MEAL RULES

School systems around the country are struggling to meet new federal school meal regulations while grappling with reduced revenue from declining participation in school lunch programs.In the 2012-13 school year, 47% of school meal programs lost money and 90% reported higher food costs, according to the 2013 Back to School Trends Survey. But Mississippi schools are prepared to meet the new rules thanks to the state’s Statewide Purchasing Cooperative, which helped the state negotiate lower prices for nutritious foods. Created in 1992, Mississippi’s Statewide Purchasing Cooperative was the nation’s first statewide child nutrition purchasing organization. By pooling buying power, Mississippi can easily negotiate cheap prices and find respected sellers of fresh, locally grown produce and whole-grain products.

Source: Clarion-Ledger, 7/28/14, School Meal Costs