Outsourcing hikes price of fruits and vegetables

The price of some North Carolina fruit and vegetables sold under a popular federal school lunch program has nearly doubled since the U.S. Department of Defense outsourced the contract to a Guilford County company. Foster-Caviness Foodservice of Colfax, a produce distributor that recently won a $37.6 million contract to supply military bases and school lunch programs across the state is levying a new $4.30-a-case surcharge. As a result of the added expense, some schools will be able to buy only about half as much under the farm-to-school program as they did last year. Other school districts may decide to drop out altogether.

Click here to read The Raleigh News & Observer article.