Students across Plymouth-Canton Community Schools could see more Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables on their lunch trays after the district signed a new statewide pledge to buy local food.
Kayla McDaniel, director of Food & Nutrition Services for P-CCS, signed the Good Food for Michigan Pledge on Tuesday, July 28, at the Farmers Market at the Capitol in Lansing. She joined Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring, representatives from the Michigan Farmers Market Association, and dozens of local growers and food producers at the event, according to the district.
"With all of us working together, school districts across Michigan can serve more healthy, fresh food while also supporting our local farmers," McDaniel said. She added that the district is proud to support an initiative focused on making Michigan agriculture more resilient.
What the pledge does
The pledge is voluntary. It is a collective commitment for food buyers and suppliers to take steps toward purchasing more Michigan-grown food that prioritizes values like local economies, environmental sustainability, and community health. For school districts, that means prioritizing locally grown products in cafeterias. For farmers, it means prioritizing sales to schools, hospitals, and other institutions.
Signing does not require formal adoption of the full Good Food Purchasing Program, according to the project's website. It connects institutions to a network committed to advancing Michigan food systems and provides educational opportunities and recognition for progress.
The project is a partnership between MDARD, the Center for Good Food Purchasing, and Michigan State University's Center for Regional Food Systems, developed in collaboration with state agriculture officials, farmers, and community groups.
Why it matters locally
P-CCS serves approximately 16,228 students across 25 schools, including Canton, Plymouth, and Salem high schools on the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park campus. About 22.3% of students qualify for the federal free and reduced-price meal program, according to U.S. News data from the 2023-24 school year.
Michigan has allocated nearly $250 million to pay for breakfast and lunch in public schools. The Good Food for Michigan Project, launched in December 2025, aims to direct more of that spending toward Michigan farmers.
Other districts have already received grants through the initiative. Bendle Public Schools in Genesee County was the first grant recipient, receiving nearly $26,000 to increase Michigan-grown food in its cafeterias. Dearborn Public Schools received a grant announced July 21.
Boring said at the July 28 event that the pledge expands the project's reach by connecting schools, hospitals, and other institutions directly to Michigan farmers, according to the district's announcement.
What's next
An information session on the Good Food for Michigan Project is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, at 1 p.m. via Zoom, open to farmers, school officials, and others interested in getting involved. Details are available on the Good Food for Michigan website.
