Last week, Eat Real CEO Nora LaTorre was in Washington, DC to participate in a panel on nutrition equity alongside Tambra Raye Stevenson, CEO of Wanda, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Jenny Lester Moffitt. The event was part of 2023 Organic Week hosted by the Organic Trade Association.
Throughout the week, major leaders in organic food and farming systems gathered to share their expert insights on the power of policy, advocacy and targeted campaigns to grow the organic market in the United States. USDA Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, shared the Department’s renewed focus on supporting the growth of organic production and announced a new program that will provide grants to eligible institutions to expand markets for organic product as well as help farmers mitigate the financial risks of obtaining organic certification.
During the panel, Eat Real shared its vision on child nutrition security, including the great potential of public schools to become the largest purchaser of organic and regenerative agricultural products in the nation. Shifting the immense buying power of schools to organically grown produce will not only boost healthy futures for our children, but also work to create a more sustainable food system nationwide and a healthier planet as a result.
Finally, Eat Real CEO Nora LaTorre showed numerous case studies (or highlighted through food photos) to the panel audience about how hundreds of schools our organization is working with are re-regionalizing the food system and sourcing high-quality organic food options for their students.
