The Los Angeles USD school board has voted to implement a comprehensive "Good Food" food procurement policy that calls for using the $100 million the district spends annually on food as leverage to support a regional food system that is "ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible," according to the text of the resolution (see meeting minutes here). The resolution has completed its first public reading. A second public reading is required by law before it can be implemented.
LAUSD serves more than 650,000 meals a day in a district where four in five students qualify for federal and state meal benefits. It has already changed its menus and food procurement contracts to implement the Institute of Medicine's school meal nutrition recommendations through contracts to provide fresh produce, bread and dairy.