That’s because schools aren’t set up to accept local produce, leading to a Byzantine national food distribution grid where apples from Maryland end up in schools in South Carolina but aren’t served in local ones.

“The trouble is that major school systems, to get what they want, they deal with a wholesaler. They want a one-stop shop,”

A bill awaiting the governor’s signature aims to change that. It’s part of a national Farm-To-School movement that’s headed to Maryland to encourage more local produce on cafeteria trays.

The twin missions of boosting local farmers while trimming fuel costs for shipping food long distances has found unanimous approval from Maryland legislators.

The bill would start a “Maryland Homegrown” week in school cafeterias and encourage schools to teach children about local agriculture through farm field trips.

Oklahoma started serving locally grown melons in a few schools in 2002, and now that state’s melon program has grown to hundreds of schools.