RALEIGH, N.C. -- Thanks to a craving for North Carolina strawberries and blueberries, a state program that gets locally grown food onto school menus has seen a year of record sales.
The North Carolina Farm to School Program saw school systems order $800,000 worth of local produce in 2009-2010, up more than $100,000 from the previous year.
School systems were especially eager for a taste of strawberries and blueberries grown by state farmers, with blueberry orders more than doubling from last year.
Other produce sold to schools through program includes watermelons, apples, tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services coordinates the program, linking local farmers with school systems.
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