Michigan schools have until May 29th to apply to the state Department of Education for federal Recovery Act funds for equipment to improve school lunch service.

Many school cafeterias lack equipment needed to prepare meals from scratch and can only heat and serve prepared food.

Last week Colleen Matts, a Farm to School Specialist at Michigan State University, sent interested school officials a list of equipment that has been found useful in Wisconsin such as a fry cutter that helps Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch prep 300lbs. of carrot, sweet potato or kohlrabi sticks each week.

Michigan is the second most agriculturally diverse state, yet the bulk of the foods produced here go to processors where they fetch a much lower price than they would on the fresh market.

In testimony before the House committee on agriculture last September, Michigan State University agriculture professor Mike Hamm said that a small increase in the consumption of fresh local fruits and vegetables could yield $200 million in additional economic activity for the state.

Fresh foods also help schools teach healthy eating habits.

Schools that have many poor students will be given priority for cafeteria equipment funding.