<< Back to Report Card
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: Matthew Biette
Title: Director of Dining Services
Date survey submitted: July 23, 2009
1) Total annual food budget: [$4 million ]
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available: Dining services has a policy specifying its support and purchase of local and organic foods, composting and waste reduction, green building design and learning opportunities with a food focus.
http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/enviro/initiatives/food/green_dining.htm#local
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local farms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[#25] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 47 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Distributed through Burlington Foodservice Co., which sources from 47 Vermont farmers. Also Black River Fish, and Produce acts a distributer for numerous farms, and growers. Monument farms distributes dairy products manufactured by other dairy producers as well.
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
[$ ~$750,000 ]
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8):
Produce (vegetables and fruits), animal proteins (meats, eggs and cheeses) cider, dairy (milk, cream, & cheese) Maple syrup, eggs, ice cream
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ # 11] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # 20 ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor: Burlington foodservice, Black River, Monument Farms, Farrel Dist, Bakers Dist, and Calmont Beverage
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
[$ ~$250,000]
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese): chicken, salsas, breads, grains, beef, pork, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, coffee, beer, and wine. Soy Products
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location: Monument Farms, Weybridge, VT 05753
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe source and amount: The Middlebury Organic Garden provides seasonal fruits and vegetables which are served in the dining halls during the summer language schools programs and in the early Fall.
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ x] Not a traditional program. We have our own sustainability program on campus but we also have our own thoughts regarding coordination and purchasing of farm produced foods.
[ ] 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: Dining services incorporates organic foods whenever possible. Middlebury is a signatory of the Agreements of Intentions and Collaborations for creating a worldwide network of universities and research institutions linked to the International Slow Food Association. These principles include “protection of agricultural biodiversity,” “support of the rights of peoples to self-determination with regard to food,” and “education of civilized society and training of workers in the food and agricultural sector.” Middlebury is one of ten US higher ed institutions to have signed the principles. Middlebury faculty, staff and students participated in the 2006 and 2008 gatherings of Terra Madre, an international meeting and network of food communities.
http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/enviro/initiatives/food/terra_madre.htm
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please list items: Garden vegetables from our own organic garden and some locally produced/grown produce, grains, soy products, breads, and maple syrup.
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
[$ ~50,000 ]
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?
[ x] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage cage-free eggs
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
[ %] 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).
[ .05 %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product: ground beef
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
18) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ ~30%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product: milk, and cheeses
[ %] 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. But not all. Please indicate. All salmon we serve our guests that is cooked on premises is MSC certified salmon we purchase from Sitka, AK.
[ %] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used:
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: We have vegan entrees three meals a day, seven days per week.
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above:
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[ x ] Some. Please describe: We purchase some but not all based on tastes and preferences of our audience.
[ ] 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
[ ] Only reusable dishware
[ x ] Reusable and disposable dishware
25) If you offer disposables, please indicate materials used (check all that apply).
[ x] Plastic or polystyrene
[ x ] Postconsumer recycled content
[ x ] 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: Customers are only charged for a small coffee at retail locations when they bring a reusable mug.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ x] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
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.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost. NOT BROKEN OUT TO THIS LEVEL
We do not separate dining hall waste (compost, recycling, trash) from the rest of campus. The diversion rate for Middlebury as a whole for compost is 24.6% of recycled materials (which is 61% of all waste). The dining halls do an excellent job of sorting materials into the appropriate categories and nearly all of Middlebury’s food waste becomes 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.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs. 100% within dining rooms and 35% in retail operations.
[ ] Annual tonnage of postconsumer compost. NOT BROKEN OUT TO THIS LEVEL Annual tonnage in total pre and post consumer = 672,970 total pounds in 2008.
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: Middlebury has been trayless since summer 2007. We do not meter specific dish machines but we saved a tremendous amount of chemicals and therefore water as a result – perhaps as many as four months of ware-washing chemicals. Anyone who is handicapped or otherwise needs a tray may still receive one but for the most part, they are unavailable, period. We “pulp” our post consumer waste and have saved ½ ounce per meal served of PULPED food waste. In that, the water is all squeezed out or washed out (with recycled water in the system). The actual raw pounds saved is not 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): Our Nordic Ski Team uses our vegetable oil as their biodiesel fuel for all travel.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ x ] Aluminum
[ x ] Cardboard
[ x ] Glass
[ x ] Paper
[ x ] Plastics (all)
[ ] Plastics (some)
[ x ] Other. Please list: Cooking oil is recycled to fuel one of the ski team vehicles.
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: They are located in the customer area of our retail operations but behind the scenes in board plan operations
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
[ %]
We do not separate dining hall waste (compost, recycling, trash) from the rest of campus. For Middlebury as a whole the waste-diversion rates for 2008 are:
Trash: 38.8%
Compost = 24.6%
Recycling = 36.6%
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:
[ ] Contracted. Please describe:
[ x ] School operated. Please describe: Operated by the College – we operate retail, board and catering operations, a bakery, concessions and vending
[ ] 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 ] Sort of. The director participates in many conversations and committees around campus but does not sit on an official spot in any committee
[ ] yes Please describe:
<< Back to Report Card