Hempfield farm providing beef for local school nutrition programs

Students in Hempfield Area and New Kensington-Arnold school districts are getting something special in their lunches these days.

Both have partnered with Logan Family Farms in Hempfield for a monthly supply of ground beef. It became the star of the show for a smash burger event held at Hempfield Area High and Wendover Middle schools, Linda LeBlanc, district chef and director of food and nutrition, said in a statement.

“We have everyone from students, to teachers, to principals asking when we will be running the local beef again,” she said, adding that the meat is being produced by a Hempfield alumni. “We are looking forward to continuing this phenomenal partnership in the future and showing everyone just how amazing our community really is.”

New Kensington-Arnold also had a smash burger event that included a toppings bar, said Kelly Patterson, regional manager for The Nutrition Group, which provides the district’s food service.

“Beef is considered good for kids at school lunch because it is a high-quality protein source, packed with essential nutrients like iron, zinc, B vitamins and choline, which are crucial for healthy growth and development, especially during the active school years,” she said. “It can help fuel their energy levels and cognitive function while providing the building blocks for muscles and tissues.”

The Pennsylvania Beef Council’s PA Beef to PA Schools program pairs 26 local farmers with 120 school districts in the state, serving more than 212,000 students. Each district can choose what kind of cut they want — most have opted for ground beef, but some are venturing into beef that could be used in stir fry or Philly cheese steaks, said Nichole Hockenberry, executive director of the council.

“This program has really just been one of the most rewarding programs that we’ve worked on,” she said. “It really meets our entire mission of farm-to-plate.”

School districts pay the farm suppliers half of the retail cost, and the beef council picks up the other half through a state grant. It’s not meant to replace a district’s existing beef supply, but rather add to it, Hockenberry said.

Besides smash burgers, at New Kensington-Arnold the beef is being used for anything else with ground beef, such as tacos and spaghetti, Patterson said.

“We love being able to work with local farms, like Logan Family Farm, to bring the kids local beef. It helps farms in our area,” Patterson said.

Multi-generational cattle operation Logan Family Farms has been in existence since 1894. It is run by Tom and Joann Logan and their son Ben and his wife, Jenn Logan. They have collaborated the last few years with Pleasant Lane Farms to have a farm-to-fair food booth at the Westmoreland Fair.

The Logan farm has between 250 and 300 head of mostly Angus cattle. Jenn Logan said she’s gotten positive feedback from both school districts. While the students get healthy meals, they also learn about where their food comes from.

“Students learn that a farmer had to raise an animal to harvest the meat which is a premier protein source,” Logan said in the statement. “It humanizes the process. I love that through this program, we’re helping everyone to see the bigger picture of what a local farm can produce. We’re building that awareness for agriculture from a young age.”