桑德斯州长宣布56.4万美元学校营养设备补助：帮学校用上更多本地农产品
阿肯色州州长莎拉·赫卡比·桑德斯与州农业厅10月21日联合宣布，将提供超过56.4万美元的设备补助金，帮助阿肯色州学校扩大营养餐供应、增加使用本州种植的农产品，并提高学校营养餐计划的参与率。
这笔补助面向参与全国学校午餐计划和学校早餐计划的学校，用于购置改善食品制作、储存、运输和供餐的设备。符合条件的设备包括：制作含阿肯色州农产品的思慕雪的搅拌机和冷柜；制作含本地食材早餐碗的烤箱、保温箱和电饭煲；存放新鲜果蔬的冷藏设备、备餐设备和冷食保温柜，以及提升食品安全、能效和餐食质量的设备。学校将通过竞争性评审选出，评审标准包括项目影响力、设备需求、食品安全、早餐扩面、使用本州农产品情况以及对最有需要学生的服务。
桑德斯表示，去年阿肯色州已让所有公立学校学生免费吃早餐，并推出“阿肯色餐盘”计划把更多本地农产品端上学生餐桌，此次补助是这项工作的延续。州农业厅长 Wes Ward 说，为学校配备所需设备，既是对学生的投资，也是对阿肯色农业的投资。有意申请的学校管理人员和营养餐负责人可通过农业厅网站提交申请，其中“早餐设备扩面补助”申请截止日为2026年11月6日，“美国农业部设备援助补助”申请截止日为2026年11月20日。获奖学校还将获得培训和技术支持。
Governor Sanders announces $564,000 in school nutrition equipment grants: helping schools serve more Arkansas-grown products
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Agriculture announced on October 21 more than $564,000 in equipment grant funding to help Arkansas schools expand access to nutritious meals, increase the use of Arkansas-grown products and boost participation in school nutrition programs.
The grants are open to schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and fund equipment that improves food preparation, storage, transportation and service. Eligible equipment includes blenders and freezers for smoothies featuring Arkansas-grown produce; ovens, warmers and rice cookers for breakfast bowls made with Arkansas ingredients; refrigerated storage, prep equipment and cold-holding units for fresh fruits and vegetables; and equipment that enhances food safety, energy efficiency and meal quality. Schools will be selected through a competitive process evaluating project impact, equipment need, food safety, breakfast expansion, use of Arkansas products and service to students with the greatest need.
Sanders said Arkansas made school breakfast free for every public school student last year and launched the Arkansas Plate initiative to feature more Arkansas-grown products on student trays, and that the grants build on that work. Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward said providing schools with the equipment they need is an investment in both Arkansas students and Arkansas agriculture. School administrators and nutrition directors may apply through the Department of Agriculture; applications for the Breakfast Equipment Expansion Grant are due November 6, 2026, and for the USDA Equipment Assistance Grant on November 20, 2026. Awardees will also receive training and technical assistance.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：位于 Little Rock 的阿肯色州议会大厦。摄影：w_lemay，CC BY-SA 2.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
