RUMIANO CHEESE COMPANY WILL INCREASE FARMTOINSTITUTION SALES OF LOCALLYPRODUCED ORGANIC DAIRY PRODUCTS WITHIN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS. THIS INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON AGGREGATING PROCESSING AND MARKETING VALUEADDED ORGANIC DAIRY PRODUCTS SOURCED FROM 27 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DAIRY PRODUCERS WITH THE AIM OF SUPPLYING NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO APPROXIMATELY 49460 SCHOOLAGED CHILDREN AND SUPPORTING THESE LOCAL FARMERS. THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH A ROBUST SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING THESE PRODUCTS BOLSTERING THE CAPACITY OF THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE ORGANIC DAIRY OFFERINGS. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOME IS A MEASURABLE RISE IN FARMTOINSTITUTION SALES DIRECTLY BENEFITING STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION CHAIN FROM RANCHERS AND PROCESSORS TO THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES. BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO LOCALLYSOURCED ORGANIC DAIRY RUMIANO CHEESE COMPANY INTENDS TO ENHANCE THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF MEALS PROVIDED TO STUDENTS AND STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS AND THE CONSUMER BASE. THE PROJECT REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY OF HIGHQUALITY LOCALLYPRODUCED FOOD FOR THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND TO PROVIDE A RELIABLE MARKET CHANNEL FOR THE DAIRY PRODUCERS.