Some Big Island school lunches now feature local beef from Parker Ranch

Local beef is now on school lunch trays in a partnership between Hawaiʻi Island schools and Parker Ranch, one of the country’s oldest cattle ranches.

According to a news release from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, this partnership is part of an initiative that aims to bring more locally sourced food to school meals by building regional partnerships that connect school cafeterias with producers in their communities.

Parker Ranch is supplying beef to schools across Kohala, Waikoloa, Waimea, the Hāmākua Coast and Hilo. The beef is featured in familiar school lunch favorites, including paniolo pasta, sloppy joe, chili, hamburger stew and chili cheese nachos.

“It’s really neat to provide beef that we source and raise here locally. It’s processed here on the island and never leaves, and we’re able to help kids learn more about food production here in their own community,” said Jacob Tavares, Parker Ranch’s livestock business operations representative.

Tavares said partnerships with public institutions and large distributors can help strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food system and expand access to locally produced food.

“Food security and food sovereignty are such a big part of the conversation right now. We’re trying to be part of that by creating partnerships with institutions and large distributors to help ensure local people have access to local food,” Tavares said.

At Waimea Elementary School, students say they appreciate both the taste and the opportunity to eat locally raised beef.

“The pasta is great… it’s local, that’s what I love about it,” fourth grader Akea Ala said. “It’s better and more fresh.”

His classmate, fourth grader Theo Smith, also noticed a difference. “It tastes better because I know it’s not processed and I can taste that it’s not processed meat,” he said.

For Waimea Elementary School Food Services Manager Ilaiʻasi Tua, the partnership is already making a difference in the cafeteria.

“It’s a really big difference from the mainland beef to this grass-fed beef… the kids really love it,” Tua said. “Just being from a farm to this table, being right here in Waimea… I feel like it’s a good thing for the DOE schools.”

Since the partnership began, HIDOE schools have served nearly 8,000 pounds of locally raised beef from Parker Ranch to Hawaiʻi Island students. According to the state department, additional regional sourcing opportunities are in development on Maui and Kauaʻi based on what is available within those areas.

“By building reliable connections between local producers and school cafeterias, the department aims to make locally sourced foods a more regular part of students’ meals while supporting the state’s agricultural industry,” school officials stated in the news release.