Researchers at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems talked with dining center directors at 28 Wisconsin colleges to learn more about the barriers to local food purchase and identify potential solutions. Many dining center directors said that they do not know where and how to buy from farmers in their area. But dining center directors in Wisconsin do know the value of farm-fresh food. The majority of the directors said that they shop for their own families at farm stands and farmers markets. Buying from farmers can mean more work for dining center directors.
Some directors say that they don t buy from farmers because of red tape and higher costs.
Farmers who sell to colleges sometimes have to buy liability insurance. They also need to be willing to wait for payment, sometimes for months. Many colleges, including eight of the 13 University of Wisconsin campuses, are contracted to large food service corporations. These corporations cut costs by buying all of their food from large distributors. Only approved vendors can sell large quantities of food to these dining services.