| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 61.53 |
| Liaison | Rachael Wein |
| Submission Date | March 2, 2020 |
Smith College
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.97 / 6.00 |
Andy
Cox Director of Dining Services Dining Services |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
An inventory of food and beverage purchases that qualify as sustainably/ethically produced:
A brief description of the methodology used to conduct the inventory, including the timeframe and how representative samples accounted for seasonal variation (if applicable):
We used the criteria provided by the Real Food Challenge to conduct our inventory, and looked at two representative sample months. We chose February 2018 and October 2017, as local produce is limited in February, but plentiful in October.The spreadsheet attached is the data download from our RFC account. You can also find our institutional profile on the RFC website link below that verifies we have been reviewed by RFC. The plant based analysis and inventory is from FY 2019 and in on the 2019 Fiscal Year Food Purchases spreadsheet. We used AASHE definition for plant based to determine the plant based number. 47%
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the inventory/assessment?:
| Present? | Included? | |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution | Yes | Yes |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | No | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | No | No |
| Convenience stores | No | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | No | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
"Dining services seeks food that is locally grown or processed within 150 miles and environmentally beneficial foods which are organic, hormone or antibiotic free, and humane foods which are cage-free or fair trade.
As a member of CISA (Community in Support of Agriculture), a national organization that supports collaboration of local farmers with local institutions and restaurants, the college supports local farmers and spreads awareness of the importance of buying locally. Smith purchases cage-free eggs and fair trade/organic/kosher coffee from Indigo Coffee Company in nearby Florence, MA. Dairy products are purchased from High Lawn Farm in Lee, MA, which come from pastured Jersey cows that do not receive artificial growth hormones.
Dining Services purchases Vermont-raised ground beef, brisket, top round and pork from Black River Produce in North Springfield, Vt. Black River produces meats from pasture-fed animals that do not receive antibiotics or hormones.
Local, seasonal produce comes from local farmers as much as possible, given the quantities we must obtain. The majority of local produce comes from Outlook Farm in Westhampton, MA, where Dining Services has been purchasing apples for the past 60 years. What Outlook Farm cannot provide at their farm, they purchase from other local farmers and deliver to Smith twice weekly.
During February and March, winter vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, radishes, and beets are delivered to campus by bike from Hadley, MA.
Black River Produce, located in Southern Vermont, is our other source for locally-grown produce. They provide a list of current, locally grown products and note on their delivery invoices what is locally grown.
"
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.