School Cafeteria Line
Image by CDC via Unsplash
Workers at Juniper Hill Farm
Image by Ben Stechschulte and Essex Farm Institute

Workers at Juniper Hill Farm in Westport, NY carry freshly harvested root vegetables

Harvesting vegetables at Wild Work Farm
Image by Ben Stechschulte and Essex Farm Institute

Harvesting vegetables at Wild Work Farm in Keene, NY

Farm to Hospital/Health Care

Hospitals and other health care centers are an important part of our Farm to Institution program. They can help to create new markets for smaller scale producers as well as improve upon the nutritional quality and freshness of the foods they serve. 

There are a few different avenues that hospitals can take to build a Farm to Institution program in their facility. Fostering relationships with local farms or food producers and bringing in more local products is mutually beneficial to improving the overall health focus of the hospital or health care center. Working on increasing local food procurement in a hospital program is diverse, and could mean purchasing fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, or grains for either patient or cafeteria meals. Hospitals and health care centers can also be the host to CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) drop off point, host a farmers' market, or create an edible or pollinator garden on site. 

Contact

Meghan Dohman, M.S.
Farm to Institution Resource Educator
meb377@cornell.edu
518-962-4810 x405

Last updated March 5, 2024