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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Rob Larson
Title: Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
Date survey submitted: June 27, 2009
1) Total annual food budget: [$2 million]
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available: Producers must fill out farm safety practices form and provide proof of insurance.
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local forms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[11] Number from which you purchase directly. Plus one co-op with multiple local farmers.
[ 2] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Jolivette Farms, Onalaska, WI; Plantpeddler, Cresco, Iowa
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ 200,000]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8): Apples, beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, berries, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, honey, grapes, lettuce, beets, fresh fruits.
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[1 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ 2 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Snopac Foods, Caledonia, Minnesota.
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$8,000 ]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese): Frozen vegetables
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location:
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe source and amount: Dining Services manages an on campus garden. Amount used in retail and board operation equated to an estimated $3,000.
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ X ] No, but we do work with the Iowa extension and have been working with them to obtain a grant thru the Kellogg Foundation.
[ ] Yes. Please describe program:
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD
12) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to the purchase of organic and/or sustainably produced food?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available: Farmers must fill out farm safety practice forms and provide proof of insurance.
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please list items: Beef, fresh produce, coffee, frozen vegetables, lettuce.
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ 60,000 ]
For questions 15-19, please indicate percentage based on annual dollar amount spent.
15) Do you purchase cage-free eggs and/or confinement-free meat products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 50 %] Percentage cage-free eggs
[ 10%] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product: Whole chicken
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
16) Do you purchase any grass-fed animal products?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 100%] Grass-fed. Type of animal product: Ground beef, fresh roast
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 75 %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat: Pork, loin, chops, ribs, bacon
[100 %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat: Beef
18) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 100%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product: Liquid milk
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
19) Do you purchase seafood that meets Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines or Marine Stewardship Council standards?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please indicate.
[ 40%] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used: Monterey Bay Good & Best Choices
20) Do you offer specifically labeled vegan entrees on a daily, weekly, or other regularly scheduled basis?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please specify number of options and the frequency with which they are offered: Daily
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above: We purchase organic peanuts and grind our own peanut butter with no added ingredients—all natural organic.
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[X] All
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item:
DISHWARE AND ECO-FRIENDLY INCENTIVES
24) Please indicate which of following your university-operated/contracted dining facilities offers.
[ ] Disposable dishware
[ X ] Only reusable dishware (Board)
[X ] Reusable and disposable dishware (Retail)
25) If you offer disposables, please indicate materials used (check all that apply).
[X ] Plastic or polystyrene
[X] Postconsumer recycled content – for meal exchange in retail operations we charge .25 for paper cup use. No charge for reusable container.
[ ] Biodegradable/compostable
[ ] Other
Description (optional):
26) Do your dining facilities offer discounts or cash incentives to individuals using reusable dishware, bringing a bag, or bringing reusable containers?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: Discounts for drinks using personal reusable mugs. Re-usable carryout containers exchanged for clean when returned.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ ] No
[ X] Yes. Please describe: Catering and board operations occasionally offer them for special needs—less than 200/year.
FOOD COMPOSTING AND WASTE DIVERSION
28) Do your dining facilities compost preconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[100 %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[33 %] Proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of postconsumer compost.
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[ ] Sometimes--on specific days, on certain occasions, or in specific locations. Please describe:
[X] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption: Began Jan 09. No data available.
32) Please tell us about any other steps your dining facilities have taken to reduce waste (e.g., food waste auditing, recycling used cooking oil for biodiesel production): Cooking oil made into biodiesel on campus. Use 100 recycled napkins.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[X] Aluminum
[X] Cardboard
[No ] Glass (local recycler will not accept glass at this time)
[X] Paper
[ ] Plastics (all)
[X] Plastics (some)
[ ] Other. Please list:
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: All areas have bins for aluminum and plastic and are collected in central area for pickup.
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[ 40%]
AFFILIATIONS
Questions 36-37 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
36) Indicate if your dining services are:
[X] Contracted. Please describe: In transition from self-operated to contract.
[ ] School operated. Please describe:
[ ] Other. Please describe:
37) Is the dining services director, or another dining services staff person, a member of any campus-wide environmental/sustainability initiatives or committees at your school?
[ ] No
[X] Yes. Please describe: Two managers are involved with the Campus Sustainability Council. One manager runs the campus garden.
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