DERRY — Students at the Grinnell Elementary School are enjoying a bounty of fresh, local produce thanks to the second year of a USDA grant.

This year, the school was eligible for and received a $22,000 grant to take part in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program.

The school is eligible for the program because it has over 40 percent of its students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, according to Jane Simard, school district business administrator.

Last year, it started out as a one-day-per-week program but soon expanded to two days and that has continued into the new school year.

The program uses local produce as much as possible, running the gamut from apples, kiwis and other fruits to the current crop of summer squash.

“It gives students the chance to try a lot of great food they might not otherwise get the chance to try,” said Simard.

In addition to paying for the fruits and vegetables, the grant money is also used for associated items such as baskets and salad spinners, as well as to help pay for the time cafeteria workers use to prepare the fruits and vegetables.

The USDA began the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program as a pilot program in four states in 2002 and it was made permanent in 2004. In 2008, the program expanded to all 50 states.

Although only the Grinnell school qualified for the USDA grant, new federal nutrition guidelines mean there is a greater focus on produce in all the district cafeterias.

“There are a lot of fruits and veggies on the plates,” said Simard. “There’s a lot of greens and less protein.”

She said the district’s food services department has worked hard over the summer and during the first few weeks of school to meet the new guidelines.

aswift@newstote.com