The Norris School District is proud to announce the launch of the Nebraska Beef at Norris: A Farm to School Partnership, a new initiative aimed at providing higher-quality, locally sourced food for students in all four of our school buildings.

Through a new partnership with McLean's Beef, a USDA-approved facility in York, the district is now purchasing Nebraska-sourced ground beef for use in school lunches. The program, which comes at no additional cost to families, is a significant step forward in the district's commitment to student wellness and community engagement.

McLean Beef is family-raised, grain-finished, dry-aged beef stewarded right here in the heartland. McLean Farms started with a dairy purchased by Ralph and Maxine McLean of rural Benedict, NE, in 1949. Now the fourth generation of the McLeans' are learning the cattle business, the importance of a strong work ethic, and maintaining the family farm from Grandpa and their dads.

Our goal is always to provide the best possible resources for our students, and that includes the food they eat every day. This partnership allows us to serve a fresher, higher-quality product that we can all be proud of, while simultaneously investing in our state's agricultural economy.

The district is also looking to the future, with the idea of building a network of local producers who may be interested in supporting the program. This is a true community effort. We are excited about the potential to partner directly with farmers in our area. Local producers interested in learning more about how they can get involved can express their interest by emailing Dr. Joel (derrick.joel@nsdtitans.org).