South Carolina Department of Agriculture
MARKET BULLETIN Vol. 92 • Num. 14
July 19, 2018 Est.
1913
FEEDING 800 KIDS IS NO PICNIC
COMMISSIONER’S CORNER
DIANNE’S CALL HANDLES SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM STORY & PHOTOS BY MARSHA HEWITT
If you think packing a picnic lunch is a big deal, try cooking, packing and delivering 800 kids’ meals— five days a week!
that are scattered among Richland County and beyond. Harvest Hope provides the meals to five of the sites during the school year.
That’s just what Bonita Clemons and Bobby Percival are doing this summer. Bonita’s non-profit agency, Dianne’s Call, is a sponsor for the Summer Food Service Program. This federally funded program ensures that children continue to receive
The program provides both hot and cold lunches on a schedule. Each meal includes a protein, a vegetable, a fruit, and a grain, all USDA approved. Last week, Thursday’s lunch menu was barbecued chicken, corn, apple, and a whole wheat roll. Snacks vary from string cheese to yogurt to fresh fruits and whole wheat or grain crackers. The hot food is cooked, served into individual portions on trays, heat sealed, and put in insulated bags for shipment. The cold food— sandwiches, salads, vegetables, fruit and fruit juice— goes into coolers. Each meal includes a mandatory serving of milk for every child.
“The timing is crucial,” Bobby said. “From 8 to 11 every morning is intense.” The first delivery truck leaves about 10 a.m., and the last goes out at 11:15. Adding to the intensity is the fact that the number of meals The kitchen is where most of the work is done, with food being cooked, served, heat-sealed, and varies day to day. The packed into insulated bags. Packing lunches are Brandon Faust, Bill May and Brittany Horres. site managers call if nutritious meals when they know they will have additional children, or if school is not in session. their numbers are down for the day. The meals are The meals are free to adjusted accordingly. school-aged children 18 “Any kid can go to a site any day,” Bonita explained. and younger. “The managers try to let us know how many they Bobby is the managing have. We are traffic controllers all day, every day.” partner of Dupre CaterActually, the staff prepares two meals a day for each ing and Events, located child. Each site manager can choose any two meals, at the SC State Farmers which include breakfast, lunch, snack, or supper. Market. The meals are Most want breakfast and lunch but some request prepared and shipped lunch and snack. from The Market Restaurant, with the “We produce 7,000 to 8,000 meals each week,” help of nine kitchen Bobby said. He and Bonita develop the menus well staff, six packers, four in advance, order the food, and coordinate the drivers, and several staff. volunteers. Dianne’s Call prepares and delivers meals for 800 children at 12 sites
The coolers and insulated bags are loaded into special trucks. Coordinating the routes requires precision, with four drivers for 12 sites and strict Continued on page 3
HUGH E. WEATHERS SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE
H
NO. 1 IN SC
ow many great tasting reminders have you had this summer of how fortunate we are to live in South Carolina? Some might say it comes with the high price of heat and humidity, but every time I fill my plate with Certified SC Grown corn, tomatoes, peaches, watermelon and other summer bounty, I may not be cool as a cucumber but I sure am grateful. Several times this summer – at church, a wedding, funeral or other gatherings, I’ve been asked how our farmers are doing, and I always take advantage of the opportunity to talk about our state’s largest industry. What does that mean that agribusiness is South Carolina’s largest industry? Plain and simple, agribusiness generates a $41.7 billion economic impact in our state each year. It is responsible for more than 200,000 jobs. Nearly five million of the state’s 20 million acres is farmland. We have more than 25,000 farmers. All of these facts and figures are impressive, but we know that South Carolina is fertile ground for more growth and expansion. You’ve probably heard me talk about 50 x 20, and our Office of Agribusiness Development is working diligently with the SC Department of Commerce and regional economic development alliances and boards to grow the economic
impact of agribusiness to $50 billion by 2020. It’s important to clarify that growing agribusiness in our state is not about using our resources to attract farmers to South Carolina to compete with existing farmers. Rather, three key elements guide our process: job creation, capital investment and the production and use of Certified SC products. Growing agribusiness means growing opportunity for our rural communities. In addition to promoting our 41,000 miles of highway, our prime location between Miami and New York and the country’s most efficient port, we are proud to boast to prospective agribusiness our enviable southern lifestyle, our able workforce and our relatively low cost of living. Add in new laws that make it easier for business to locate and expand here and our continued support of legislation that will offer tax incentives to companies that use Certified SC products, and our story is an enticing one. So far in 2018, we’ve closed 10 new agribusiness-related economic development projects which represent more than 800 new jobs and almost $500,000,000 in capital investment. I’ll keep you posted on our progress and hope you’ll join us in spreading the word about South Carolina’s number one industry.