Keene State College
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing

General methodology: Invoices during the sample period of September 2019 to March of 2020 were examined, identifying sustainability certified purchases as well as local attributes. Vendor websites and direct communications were also used to screen items to identify qualifying criteria. Time Boundaries: September 2019 and February 2020 invoices were reviewed and categorized. These two months allow for seasonal variation representing times when local food is more widely available (September) and less available (February). Physical Boundaries: Local was defined as grown within 250 miles to be consistent with STARS. Third-party Certification: The list of STARS-appropriate certifications were used as a screen for this designation.

Keene State Dining is committed to serving locally, regionally, and sustainably grown, produced, and manufactured items to the greatest extent possible. Many of these items are included regularly in the dining commons and campus retail outlets. Other items are purchased for special events such as the annual Localvore Day (which highlights all Dining’s local producers), as well as farm to table dinners highlighting the local sustainable seafood program. The sustainability commitment of Keene State Dining is part of the College’s broader efforts to promote a culture of sustainability and accountability. Serving locally and regionally grown, produced, and manufactured items ensures that the food served is the freshest possible, while helping to support the local economy – a vibrant regional agricultural infrastructure and a healthy food system. Keene State Dining looks for farms, fisheries, and food producers or manufacturers located within a 250 mile radius from campus. Additional criteria that Keene State Dining considers in its purchasing decisions include: USDA Certified Organic: Examples of USDA Certified Organic foods served on campus include Stonyfield Farms yogurt and In Harvest grains. Fair Trade Certified: Examples of Fair Trade Certified foods served on campus include Prime Roast Coffee Company and Pierce Brothers Coffee Roasters. Certified Humane: Keene State Dining serves Nest Fresh eggs on campus, which are Certified Humane. Seafood Certifications: Keene State Dining utilizes a variety of criteria and third-party labeling programs when sourcing seafood, including the Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested program for verification of locally sourced species such as mussels and redfish; Marine Stewardship Council certification and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) for farmed species such as salmon; and purchasing directly from local fleets when possible. They also use Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch as a reference. For the locally sourced products, Keene State Dining is able to provide educational information to their guests about the species that are being served such as Atlantic cod, hake or clams, and their origins in the Gulf of Maine.