Organic Lunches in California School Districts

California school districts are accelerating efforts to transition to fully organic meal programs, driven by new collaboration across the supply chain. At the center of this shift are leaders including Barbara Jellison of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, Judi Shils of Conscious Kitchen, Al Courchesne of Frog Hollow Farm, and Steve Brancamp of United Natural Foods, Inc..

Jellison’s district, which serves roughly 30,000 students daily, has invested more than $1 million in local organic sourcing in recent years. She emphasized that transitioning from conventional to organic ingredients requires maintaining student acceptance while navigating labor, infrastructure, and procurement constraints. Product quality improvements, such as switching to organic romaine, have increased both student and staff support despite added preparation demands.

Farmers are also adapting to institutional needs. Courchesne described modifying production practices to grow smaller, school appropriate fruit while maintaining strict quality standards. He noted that school districts are now among his largest and most stable buyers, offering a reliable alternative to volatile retail markets.

Supply chain coordination remains a central challenge. Shils highlighted efforts to connect growers with distributors and to expand organic options within federal procurement systems. Brancamp added that manufacturers are reformulating productsand resizing packaging to meet school nutrition and bidding requirements.

Data from California distributors show organic produce volumes more than doubling year over year, signaling growing adoption. Panelists agreed that scaling will depend on increasing farmer participation and strengthening regional infrastructure, positioning school food systems as a key driver of long term organic market growth.

Sources: EcoFarm Conference, “From Farm to School: Building a 100% Organic School Food System,” Barbara Jellison, Judi Shils, Al Courchesne, Steve Brancamp, EcoFarm Conference 2026, Pacific Grove, CA, January 2026.

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